Lucasfilm Abandons Daisy Ridley, Replaces Rey Skywalker With New Female Jedi
Star Wars has officially entered a new era on the big screen, with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) having continued the franchise’s cinematic side and Star Wars: Starfighter (2027) set to introduce a new adventure next year.
However, one major project remains surrounded by uncertainty: Daisy Ridley’s return as Rey Skywalker.
Years after Lucasfilm announced that Ridley would return for an untitled solo movie following Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), the project has remained in development without a confirmed release date.
Now, as the studio continues exploring the future of the Jedi, another female-led Star Wars story has arrived with a remarkably familiar premise.
Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi is now streaming on Disney+, bringing back Lah Kara, the Jedi first introduced in the original Star Wars: Visions episode in 2021.
The series follows Lah Kara as she searches for new Jedi to join her cause while attempting to restore hope in a galaxy where the Jedi Order has fallen. Her story previously continued in the Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 short “Child of Hope.” Watch the trailer for The Ninth Jedi below:
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The connection to Rey’s planned movie is clear. After The Rise of Skywalker, Rey was expected to return as a Jedi Master rebuilding the Order and creating a new future for the galaxy. The Ninth Jedi follows a similar path, focusing on another female Jedi attempting to restore what was lost.
However, unlike Rey’s story, Lah Kara’s journey takes place outside official Star Wars canon. Set in the distant future, long after the sequel trilogy, The Ninth Jedi gives Lucasfilm the freedom to create a completely original version of the Jedi Order.
Rey’s film, meanwhile, is expected to take place 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, continuing the story established by the sequel trilogy.
While The Ninth Jedi has already expanded from a popular animated short into a full Disney+ series, Rey’s movie remains without a release date.
The next Star Wars theatrical release will be Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling. Although Ridley’s Rey has been rumored to appear, she is not currently part of the announced cast.
For now, fans can experience another vision of the future of the Jedi through Lah Kara — even as they continue waiting for Rey Skywalker’s next chapter.
Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi is now streaming on Disney+.
Are you excited for The Ninth Jedi? Let us know in the comments below!
