Disney and Lucasfilm first announced Trank's involvement in their series of upcoming Star Wars spinoff films on June 4, 2014. He joins writers Simon Kinberg and Lawrence Kasdan and director Gareth Edwards as names confirmed to be principally involved in the production of Star Wars spinoff film. Kinberg recommended Trank to Lucasfilm after collaborating with him on the Fantastic Four reboot.
Trank directed a Star Wars short film which he posted online in 2007, titled Stabbing at Leia's 22nd Birthday. It depicts a lightsaber duel breaking out at a normal party, and concludes with the triumphant opponent being arrested by stormtroopers.
On May 1, 2015, Lucasfilm announced that Trank had walked away from directorial duties on the second Star Wars Anthology film. Trank explained he wanted to pursue a smaller project having spent three years on Fantastic Four.