Walt Disney Co CEO Bob Iger says screenwriters Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are working on standalone Star Wars movies that aren't part of the planned new trilogy.

Iger told CNBC on Tuesday that the standalone movies will be based on "great Star Wars characters that are not part of the overall saga".

The films would be released during the six-year period of the new trilogy, starting in 2015 with Star Wars: Episode VII.

Disney confirmed last month that Star Trek director JJ Abrams will direct the seventh instalment of the Star Wars saga, after it bought Lucasfilm last year for more than $US4 billion.

But the new additions have stalled plans to bring the original Star Wars movies back to cinemas in 3D.

In 2010, creator George Lucas and his Lucasfilm company announced plans to revive all six of the movies in the new format, starting with prequel Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Men-ace, which made a healthy $US102.7 million at the global box office when it was re-released in 3D last year.

However, Disney are focusing on the new seventh instalment in the series.

"Given the recent development that we are moving forward with a new Star Wars trilogy, we will now focus 100 per cent of our efforts on Star Wars: Episode VII in order to ensure the best possible experience for our fans," a statement from Lucasfilm read.

"We will post further information about our 3D release plans at a later date."

The Star Wars prequel trilogy was released from 1999 to 2005.

AP and WENN