Star Wars Jedi 3 rumour suggests we might see an older Cal Kestis after a time jump, which lines up with recent promises of "more Cal stories"

We've known for a long time that a third Star Wars Jedi game is in active development, but the planned length of the series and the fate of Jedi survivor Cal Kestis - a hero who isn't available by the time Luke Skywalker takes on Darth Vader and the Empire - are unclear. Recent chatter might have given us some clues though.

During the latest episode of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, the site's co-founder and EiC Tom Henderson brought up the threequel, saying that he was told around a year ago about the potential setting for the game: "I heard that like Cal was going to be older in the game, so I don't know if they're doing like a little time jump or something."

If you've been playing the Jedi games - and this is where we enter spoiler territory - "a little time jump" wouldn't amount to much, as Survivor already introduced a more seasoned Cal after ups and downs following Fallen Order's events. However, it wasn't until the sequel's ending that he was burdened with more responsibility after several losses and one betrayal: Rebuilding away from the Empire's attention on the hidden world of Tanalorr and also potentially training a Force-sensitive child alongside the Night Sister Merrin (who's also his love interest now).

Survivor's final stretch also includes a brush with the dark side, and considering all the pressure on Cal plus his attachment to Merrin, Star Wars Jedi 3 might be an even darker entry. An "older" Cal being at the centre of the game would sidestep most of the immediate drama presented, but then again, it'd be refreshing to move the narrative closer to the events of the original trilogy - as dangerous as that may be - or even past the Empire's fall. This would also back up recent words straight from Disney about "more Cal stories" (plural) coming.

Last year, Cal showed up in the animated (and non-canon) Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy Disney Plus special, but actor Cameron Monaghan (of Gotham fame) has repeatedly expressed interest in bringing the character to live-action. Considering the amount of animated spinoff characters now living in live-action shows and movies, Cal showing up one way or another wouldn't be odd, but first, he probably needs to survive the Star Wars era when Jedi were actively hunted.