Daisy Ridley may have gotten her start acting in the early 2010s with small roles in various shorts and TV shows, but it wasn’t until 2015 that she stepped into the role that would change her life forever. Ridley led a new generation of Star Wars stories as Rey, first in The Force Awakens before also appearing in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. After the controversial reception to The Rise of Skywalker, most thought that we’d never see Rey again. However, in 2023, it was announced that she would return to lead a New Jedi Order movie from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. During a recent interview with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt to promote her upcoming movie, Cleaner, Ridley spoke about her involvement behind the camera as a potential producer in her upcoming Star Wars flick, as well as how things are different this time around:
“I don’t know that I’d be a producer on it, but I certainly have been very involved. I’m involved in, well, not very involved, but I’m involved in as much as I know what’s going on, I know the story, I know what’s going on with the script, so I’m aware of all that. And I think what’s been really wonderful over the last few years is being more involved from the start to finish, really coming to set knowing this is the absolute best way we can tell this story. These are the best actors for the job. This is the best crew for the job. Having that confidence is so lovely. And it’s not that I didn’t have that before, but I’m much more cognizant of it now. So in that way, I’m looking forward to turning up, really knowing the ins and outs of what the journey has been, and we’re arriving at the absolute best place to tell this particular story.”
It would not be in Ridley’s character to bash the production and creative methods of prior Star Wars sets that she’s worked on, but it certainly sounds like she’s happy to be more involved with bringing Rey to life on the big screen this time. It sounds like Ridley won’t earn a producer credit for the New Jedi Order movie, but her work behind the camera is a stepping stone that will likely help her earn a producing credit in the future — if it’s something she’s ever interested in. The sequel trilogy may not have gone out on a high note, but if Ridley is confident in the direction it’s heading, then Star Wars fans have every reason to be confident and excited.
Who Could Appear in Rey’s ‘New Jedi Order’ Movie?
Other than Daisy Ridley being confirmed to reprise her role as Rey, few details are known about the New Jedi Order movie at this time. Fans have speculated that Grogu, who has previously appeared in all three seasons of The Mandalorian and will also feature in The Mandalorian and Grogu, coming to theaters on May 22, 2026, could feature as one of Rey’s pupils, but it’s nothing more than speculation at this point. Fans still remain hopeful that there’s a place for John Boyega’s Finn and potentially even Oscar Isaac’s Poe, but news of their involvement has yet to be reported or even rumored.
Ridley’s New Jedi Order movie does not yet have an official release date, but you can catch her in Cleaner, coming to theaters on February 21.
via Collider