Alan Horn, co-chairman of Walt Disney Studios, said it "made sense" for Kevin Feige to work with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy on the project.

The film would be part of "a new era in Star Wars storytelling," Horn told the Hollywood Reporter.

Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios are both subsidiaries of Walt Disney Studios.

Horn described Feige - who has been president of Marvel Studios since 2007 - as "a die-hard fan" of the Star Wars universe.

Under Feige's leadership, the films that make up the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) have made more than $22 billion (£18 billion) worldwide.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be released later this year

Disney is working on a number of Star Wars projects to follow the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker this December.

That film - directed by JJ Abrams - will bring to a close the "Skywalker saga" that began with George Lucas's original Star Wars film in 1977.

Last year it was announced that the creators of the Game of Thrones TV series were working on their own series of Star Wars films.

Lucasfilm's Kennedy called David Benioff and DB Weiss "some of the best storytellers working today" when the announcement was made.

Rian Johnson, director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, is also working on a trilogy of Star Wars films with all-new characters.

Four Star Wars movies have been released since Disney bought Lucasfilm from Lucas in 2012 for $4.05 billion.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens made more than $2 billion when it came out in 2015, while The Last Jedi and prequel Rogue One made more than $1 billion apiece.

An exhibit at the Galaxy's Edge attraction in Orlando, Florida

Yet last year's Solo: A Star Wars Story was a box office disappointment, leading Disney CEO Bob Iger to concede the studio had perhaps overreached.

"I just think that we might've put a little bit too much in the marketplace too fast," he told the New York Times.

Concerns have also been raised that the recently-opened Star Wars attractions at Disney's US theme parks have failed to meet expectations.

Speaking last month however, Iger said interest in the attraction, known as Galaxy's Edge, was "extremely high" and the company had no "long term" concerns.

News of Feige's involvement in the Star Wars series has generated much interest online.

"Feige making a Star Wars movie is better than Christmas of '83 when I got an AT-AT," wrote Jeremy Conrad, referring to the armoured transport vehicles from The Empire Strikes Back.

Yet one fan pointed out that Samuel L Jackson's presence in both the Star Wars and Marvel universes might cause difficulties.

Jackson played Mace Windu in George Lucas's Star Wars prequels before going on to play Nick Fury in the MCU.