15 women who could and should direct a Star Wars movie going forward

(from left)Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Daisy Ridley as Rey and John Boyega as Finn in a scene from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Photo: AP

It's not easy to sustain a beloved series over nine films and 43 years and many directors. But all the principally credited directors of the core Star Wars films, plus Rogue One and Solo, have been men.

Enthusiasm for the franchise seems to be waning slightly, and Rise of Skywalker became the first of the sequel trilogy not to rate an "A" CinemaScore from filmgoers. Though it's unclear when we'll see the next Star Wars feature film, there's no doubt the saga could use a major shot of creative vision – so why not hire a woman the next time around?