'Star Wars' Fan-Favorite Returning for Franchise's New Movie

By Allison Schonter

Daisy Ridley is returning to the Star Wars franchise. After first starring as fan-favorite character Rey in 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and 2019's Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, Ridley will reprise her role in an upcoming Star Wars movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, it was announced Friday at Star Wars Celebration.

The new film will be set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Sky Walker, with Rey now a Jedi master building a new Jedi Order, per Deadline. Ridley herself made a surprise appearance for the big news on Friday, telling the audience, "My heart is pounding. I am very thrilled to be continuing this journey." Obaid-Chinoy said, "I've always been attracted to the hero's journey and the fact that the world needs many more heroes."

The upcoming film will be one of three in a new series, directed by James Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Dave Filoni (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka) and Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel), Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Mangold's film will act as an origin story and tell the story of the first Jedi to ever wield the Force. Meanwhile, Filoni said his film will explore the New Republic, including an "epic battle" that changes the course of the timeline. Titles, release windows, and further plot details and cast information has not been shared for the three films at this time.

"I thought about a biblical epic. Where did the force come from?" Mangold told the audience of his film. Filoni, who has been crafting the Star Wars slate of live-action TV shows, which has seen Disney+ series like The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Book of Boba Fett, said, "I'm just excited to make a movie." Kennedy, meanwhile, teased, "We have so much more we will be sharing. Can't wait to get going."

The Star Wars Celebration in London has seen appearances from the likes of Jude Law and Rosario Dawson, who introduced trailers for their respective projects, Ahsoka, to be released in August 2023, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Creator Leslye Headland also previewed her new series The Acolyte, which is set during the High Republic, "the furthest back in time we've been in live action," according to IGN. Tony Gilroy, meanwhile, discussed Andor, sharing a clip from the second season and revealing a planned August 2024 premiere.

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