With the hysteria still ongoing in regards to the Star Wars franchise being extended, Disney have made a bold announcement at CinemaCon about the new films that will keep fans of the sci-fi phenomenon excited and intrigued.

Having acquired LucasFilm in a multi-billion dollar deal last year, the company have now revealed that the first of the new films, 2015’s Star Wars: Episode VII, will be followed swiftly by its sequels Episode VIII and Episode IX which are both set for releases in the years 2017 and 2019 respectively. However the years 2016 and 2018 will also be filled by the reported standalone films which could focus on iconic characters such as Han Solo, Yoda, Chewbacca and Boba Fett.

This hectic schedule is bound to be questioned by many die-hard fans though it is understood that Disney are hoping the spin-off films will form their own franchises. This comes after similar success happened recently with Marvel’s The Avengers and its individual films including Iron Man, Captain America and Thor.

As most people already know by now, JJ Abrams (Cloverfield, Star Trek) will be directing Star Wars: Episode VII though it is unclear who will be working on the other films in the series. Oscar-winning writer Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3) will be penning the script with veteran producers George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan and newly-appointed Head of LucasFilm Kathleen Kennedy overseeing the project.

Unofficial reports are also confirming that original Star Wars actors Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) are set to star in the upcoming sequel though nothing affirmative has been said.