Daisy Ridley Shares Bleak Update on ‘Star Wars’ Return, “I Don’t Know”
If you’re counting down the days until Daisy Ridley’s return as Rey, you may be waiting a while.
Nearly six years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker closed out both the sequel trilogy and the Skywalker Saga, Rey Skywalker’s return remains uncertain. Despite a high-profile announcement promising a new era for the character, tangible progress has been difficult to spot.
Lucasfilm first revealed plans for Ridley’s return during Star Wars Celebration in 2023. The studio described the project as a standalone theatrical film set roughly 15 years after the fall of the Final Order, with Rey now committed to rebuilding the Jedi Order.
But since then, updates have been sporadic. While director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy remains attached, the film has quietly cycled through multiple screenwriters. Official communication from Lucasfilm has largely dried up.
That silence has not gone unnoticed. During a recent Deadline interview outlining the studio’s theatrical slate, outgoing president Kathleen Kennedy did not mention the Rey project at all, fueling speculation about its status.
Daisy Ridley Breaks the Silence
For months, Ridley herself has been the primary source of reassurance. In December, the actress told IGN that the wait would be worth it, pointing to the “incredible” creative minds involved.
She acknowledged the realities of modern blockbuster filmmaking, noting that projects often face delays and complications. Still, she stressed that the movie had not been abandoned and expressed confidence in the final result.
That optimism now appears more measured. In a new interview with USA Today, Ridley was asked whether fans might finally see concrete movement on the project in 2026.
“I don’t know about 2026. In the future, sometime, yeah,” she said.
Not exactly the most comforting update in the world.
For fans who have watched multiple Star Wars films stall or disappear entirely, the update landed as confirmation that Rey’s return is still a distant prospect.
The comment also aligns with Lucasfilm’s broader post-2019 pattern. After The Rise of Skywalker, the studio stepped away from theatrical releases, focusing instead on Disney+ series while reassessing its film strategy.
That reassessment is now unfolding amid a leadership transition, with George Lucas’ own personal Padawan Dave Filoni and Lucasfilm general manager Lynwen Brennan stepping in as co-presidents.
During this period, recent reports suggest that Lucasfilm plans to keep a close eye on the box office success of The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026) to inform its theatrical direction.
Why Rey’s Film Keeps Stalling
Lucasfilm’s recent history offers little reassurance. Announced films directed by the likes of Rian Johnson, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and Taika Waititi have all failed to materialize in any concrete form.
Kennedy recently confirmed that a script exists for Waititi’s project, but even that acknowledgment came without a production timeline. The Rey film appears to be following a similar path.
Some fans believe the delays may be connected to the cancellation of The Hunt for Ben Solo, a proposed film centered on Kylo Ren. Adam Driver confirmed the project last year, revealing that Disney CEO Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, rejected the script.
According to Driver, concerns centered on how Ben Solo survived The Rise of Skywalker (yes, the same film that explained Palpatine’s return with a “somehow”). News of the cancellation sparked backlash online, with fans calling on Disney to reverse the decision and revive the story.
A portion of the fandom remains convinced that Rey’s standalone film was originally designed to intersect with The Hunt for Ben Solo. The sequel trilogy tied the two characters closely together.
The Rise of Skywalker revealed Rey and Ben as a dyad in the Force, with Ben ultimately sacrificing his life to bring Rey back from the dead. Separating their narratives moving forward has proven contentious.
Ridley has confirmed she was aware of the abandoned project. “I knew a piece of it,” she told IGN. “I heard rumblings. I have lots of friends who are crew, so things always travel like that.”
She added, “When the story came out, no, I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ And it was him that said it, right? It was funny because, like, ‘Oh, wow, Adam is saying it,’ and that’s the big surprise of the year.”
Whether Lucasfilm will attempt to rework elements of The Hunt for Ben Solo into Rey’s film remains unclear. Still, industry speculation suggests the studio may eventually revisit sequel-era characters in a larger way.
The Hollywood Reporter recently predicted Lucasfilm could pursue a “sequel-sequel trilogy,” responding to unresolved storylines and sustained fan interest.
One thing is already confirmed. Ridley will not appear in Star Wars: Starfighter. Writer Jonathan Tropper told Comic Book that the Shawn Levy-directed film will “have no legacy characters.”
Are you excited for Rey’s standalone film?
