RUMOR: Daisy Ridley’s Upcoming Star Wars Movie Is ‘On Hold…

Summary

Daisy Ridley's return as Rey in Star Wars is delayed due to the New Jedi Order being put on hold.
The delay was confirmed by movie scooper Daniel Richtman.
Ridley's role is significant in the franchise, ensuring her comeback, but the timing remains unclear.

Daisy Ridley is set to return to the galaxy far away. However, it seems that there might be a delay because Star Wars: New Jedi Order is reportedly on hold for the second time.

Ridley debuted as Rey in the Star Wars franchise in the 2015 movie Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Rey is a scavenger from the desert planet Jakku. At the time, Ridley was relatively unknown. However, fans loved her performance for its emotional depth and strength. Ridley reprised her role in two more films, The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Her fourth entry in the franchise is the upcoming New Jedi Order with Sharmeen Obaid‑Chinoy as the director. Ridley's return was announced at Star Wars Celebration in April 2023. However, there has been no definite update about the movie. An entertainment insider recently shared disappointing news about the film.

According to Daniel Richtman, a movie scooper behind the newsletter Patreon, Lucasfilm decided to put the project on the back burner. He clarified that it will still move forward, but it's not just the priority at the time. "The Rey movie is on hold once again, as both the Shawn Levy and James Mangold Star Wars films are moving forward first. The project is not canceled — just temporarily on hold," Richtman said (via ComicBookMovie). This is not the first time Richtman claimed the movie is on hold. In September 2024, he claimed Rey's next Star Wars movie was on hold because the script "needs more work." Initial reports suggested Rey could start filming for New Jedi Order this year. However, Jordan Ruimy, editor-in-chief at Wold of Reel and Tomatometer-approved critic, wasn't convinced it was possible. According to him, there was "no chance" filming would begin in September 2025. In fact, he was doubtful that Rey's anticipated project would see the light of day.

Although Ridley's return will be delayed, her comeback is inevitable. Several sources told The Hollywood Reporter in November 2024 that she is significant in the franchise. "She is the most valuable cinematic asset," the source told THR, adding, "Maybe the only one, Star Wars has right now." So, there's no chance they will move forward without her. Earlier this year, she was asked about the progress of her Star Wars film, particularly when they would start filming. However, she shared a disappointing response, saying, "I don't know."

The delay of Ridley's Star Wars: New Jedi Order is disappointing but not totally surprising. Lucasfilm has a history of development troubles. For instance, they shelved Patty Jenkin's Rogue Squadron. Also, Rian Johnson's Star Wars trilogy, which was announced in 2017, is still in talks nearly a decade later. The New Jedi Order's delay aligns with their inconsistent project follow-through. Also, the film lost its previous writer, Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), in 2024 after the latter decided to depart from the project. Ridley's Star Wars flick was left without a scribe for months. However, George Nolfil was announced as the new scriptwriter early this year. Lucasfilm probably decided to focus on more established or already-in-production projects like The Mandalorian & Grogu movie (2026) and James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi film. The delay is not necessarily a bad sign. However, since Lucasfilm also has a history of shelving projects, we don't know for sure. However, one thing is certain: rushing the film could only result in a weaker reception, which for sure is something Lucasfilm would agree with.