Lucasfilm announces new 'High Republic' books and comics in the 'Star Wars' series

A new chapter in the Star Wars canon has been announced by Lucasfilm.

Last night, Disney and the Star Wars studio unveiled Star Wars: The High Republic, a new series of novels and comic books, set 200 year before the events of The Phantom Menace, the first of George Lucas's prequels.

The books will explore the zenith of the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic, before the dark days of the Empire.

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According to the studio, the High Republic content will be released in phases, a la the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first being called The Light of the Jedi.

Lucasfilm had teased the upcoming unveiling on social media, dubbing it 'Project Luminous'.

The first book projects announced will be Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray; Star Wars: The High Republic: A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland; Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures by Daniel José Older; Star Wars: The High Republic by Cavan Scott; and Star Wars: The High Republic: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule.

Many of the writers, particularly Claudia Gray, have written other books and comics in the Star Wars canon.

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“We are so excited to be opening up such a rich, fertile era for our authors to explore,” said Lucasfilm president Kathy Kennedy in a statement. “We’ll get to see the Jedi in their prime.”

The first novels and comics will arrive in August, at the Star Wars Celebration event in California.

The news comes after it emerged that Lucasfilm has hired director J.D. Dillard and writer Matt Owens to work on a new Star Wars feature film.

But following Disney chairman Bob Iger's recent comments about the future of the franchise, it could be that it's being developed for the Disney+ platform rather than theatrical release.

Also upcoming in the Star Wars universe is a new series of The Mandalorian in October, followed by news series focusing on Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Diego Luna's Cassian Andor from Rogue One.