Although the direction of Star Wars is always evolving, I strongly believe a new movie starring Daisy Ridley and focusing on the New Jedi Order will definitely happen. Three years ago, the Star Wars Celebration event in London was incredible, and a major moment was when Lucasfilm announced its plans for the future of the franchise, covering various eras. The crowd was thrilled when Daisy Ridley came on stage, confirmed to be leading a film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
As expected, a change in leadership at Lucasfilm led to a shift in priorities. Planning for a successor began in January 2024, which explains why previously announced projects, including a film centered on Rey and her New Jedi Order, were put on hold. In fact, none of the films announced in 2023 are currently moving forward. Kathleen Kennedy, the outgoing president, recently indicated that James Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” is delayed, and Dave Filoni’s movie has also been shelved now that he’s become co-president alongside Lynwen Brennan. Despite these changes, however, a film featuring Rey’s return still seems likely.
Kathleen Kennedy Was Notably Silent About Daisy Ridley’s Star Wars Movie
During an interview with Deadline, Kathleen Kennedy was questioned about all the future Star Wars movies. She didn’t say anything about Rey’s possible return or the planned “New Jedi Order” film, and Deadline seemed to avoid asking about those topics, likely because they were instructed to do so. Interestingly, the Deadline reporter tried one last time to get some information, asking if there were any Star Wars projects fans would be upset to miss, but Kennedy remained tight-lipped.
It’s noteworthy that this is the second time Kennedy hasn’t discussed the “New Jedi Order” project in detail during a major interview. A year ago, when retirement rumors were circulating, she did a similar interview and deliberately avoided mentioning the film directed by Obaid-Chinoy or Daisy Ridley, which many found odd. It appears Kennedy believes any news about Ridley’s involvement is not something she should be sharing publicly.
Lucasfilm Understand How Important the Sequel Trilogy Is
The Star Wars sequels have faced a lot of criticism, particularly online, but it’s worth remembering they earned over $4 billion globally, even if each film made a little less than the one before. These movies brought Star Wars to a new generation of fans, and the enthusiastic reaction to Daisy Ridley’s return announcement at Celebration proved their impact. Seeing that moment, and then realizing Rey was the most popular costume at London’s convention that year, showed me how much online negativity doesn’t reflect the overall fanbase.
As a movie critic, I’ve been following the developments with Star Wars closely, and November 2024 brought some really interesting news. Reliable sources indicated that the future of the film franchise is now heavily reliant on Rey, played by Daisy Ridley. Apparently, she’s considered their most valuable player – possibly the only one right now. What’s fascinating is that plans weren’t being scaled back, but actually expanded to center even more on her character. This all coincided with the hiring of Simon Kinberg, who’s tasked with building a new trilogy intended to be the core of the franchise going forward. It’s clear Disney started thinking about the long-term future a while ago, and it all seems to be pointing towards Rey as the key to Star Wars’ next chapter.
Recent news has highlighted just how significant the sequel trilogy was for Star Wars. Actor Adam Driver shared that Lucasfilm had considered a follow-up movie, titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, which would have brought his character, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo, back to life after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. It appears Lucasfilm had been developing this idea for years, but Disney executives ultimately decided against it. Driver’s comments sparked renewed fan interest in Star Wars and a strong online movement calling for Ben Solo’s return.
Rey’s Return Really Is Inevitable (Just Not in the Form Star Wars Originally Announced)
It seems very likely Daisy Ridley will return to Star Wars eventually, but not in the upcoming movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. The new creative team simply has a different plan for the story. A return is more probable in Simon Kinberg’s planned trilogy, possibly as the main character or as a Jedi mentor. Rumors of a lightsaber fight in next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter suggest she might even appear in a cameo before then, hinting that Jedi will play a role in that film.
Kennedy said Kinberg is expected to deliver a script in March. She hinted that his planned trilogy would likely be developed after The Mandalorian & Grogu and Starfighter. If that’s the case, Rey could return to the Star Wars universe within a few years. Given the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Ridley’s appearance at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Lucasfilm would be wise to follow through on the promise of her return.
Do you think Lucasfilm is heading in the right direction after these changes? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-01-19 17:10