Lucasfilm has announced the Godzilla director will be helming the first spin-off movie to come from the relaunched Star Wars saga.

Since Disney bought up Star Wars in 2012, the plan has always been to have main 'Episode' movies interspersed with stand-alone side stories exploring the universe in greater detail. With Episode VII, the first of a new trilogy, moving ahead with director JJ Abrams and his main cast in place, the official Star Wars site has revealed Gareth Edwards will be helming the first solo movie.

"Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life -- join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited and honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm," said Edwards, via press release.

The as-yet untitled film will be written by Gary Whitta, previously responsible for the movies After Earth and Book of Eli, and Telltale Games' The Walking Dead series.

Edwards' star is certainly on the rise -- after impressing with the indie project Monsters in 2010, the British director has been holed up working on his recently released reboot of Godzilla. Since Toho's titanic terror stomped to a $93m (£55.2m) American opening weekend and $216m (£128.2m) taken worldwide to date, Edwards is a bit of a golden boy in Hollywood's eyes. Disney is doubtlessly hoping for some of the same scale and spectacle to infuse Edwards and Whitta's take.

No information on the contents of the film are yet available, but speculation has been rampant that the spin-offs in general will cover origin movies for the likes of Han Solo, Boba Fett and Yoda. Edwards did just finish one movie about a scaly green character though -- Yoda might have to wait a while before his star turn. Whoever gets the focus, the new film is due for release on 16 December 2016.