Daisy Ridley's Hefty Paycheck for Returning as Rey Skywalker Sparks New Star Wars Speculations

Daisy Ridley's Lucrative Return as Rey Skywalker

The Star Wars sequel trilogy star Daisy Ridley's apparent new hefty paycheck for returning as Rey Skywalker may not be for just one movie. The Star Wars movie featuring Daisy Ridley's Rey and her new Jedi Order may not be the only upcoming project with the character. And with her rumored check for the next Rey movie, it might be enticing for not just Ridley but others from the sequel trilogy.

Star Wars Rey Skywalker

Ridley made a name for herself with her breakthrough leading role in 2015 with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, followed by The Last Jedi in 2017 and The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. As relative newcomers, Ridley and her co-star John Boyega received a payout ranging from $100,000 to $300,000 for the first movie, which grossed over $2 billion worldwide, compared to returning legacy actors Harrison Ford, Mark Hamil, and Carrie Fisher, whose salaries ranged in the millions. As the protagonist's own salary likely increased with subsequent films, it's no surprise she'd pocket more upon her expected return to the money-making franchise.

The Future of Rey Skywalker in Star Wars

Rey's next film, rumored to be titled New Jedi Order, was next in the movie lineup from Lucasfilm, though the recently announced The Mandalorian and Grogu has taken the spot, which will be directed by The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau and begin production in late 2024. This, along with the lack of updates on Rey's next feature, has caused a lot of questions. However, insider Jeff Sneider has assured fans the movie is neither dead nor delayed indefinitely, predicting the Mandalorian film will take the May 22, 2026 release date for an untitled Star Wars movie with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order possibly coming later that year. In his newsletter, Sneider notes that Shawn Levy's Star Wars project might also include Rey in some form. There's also James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi and Dave Filoni's New Republic features coming further down the line, and with Filoni needing to focus on Ahsoka season two, Sneider deems it plausible that his film will come last in 2028, placing Mangold's in 2027.

Sneider's newsletter further mentions that according to agency sources, Ridley will earn around $12.5 million for the next movie alone. Some sites have suspected her net worth is roughly $10 million since the Star Wars films. Her considerable new price tag may be mind-boggling to some, as it's above her average quote, but because that was the amount required to bring the new leading star of the Star Wars franchise back, it's hard not to say 'good for her.'

Audiences last saw Rey visiting the Skywalkers' ranch on Tatooine, burying Luke and Leia's lightsabers together while dawning her own new one, claiming the Skywalker name as her own in honor of her mentors. Being the last remaining Jedi, she plans on rebuilding the Order, which is where the idea for the next movie comes in. As Steven Knight's script for the Rey Star Wars movie is in the next stages of writing, much remains unknown about its direction. However, it's set to take place 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, as Rey takes on a Jedi master role mentoring her own Force-sensitive students.

The Star Wars Franchise's Future

Sneider's newsletter further mentions that according to agency sources, Ridley will earn around $12.5 million for the next movie alone. Some sites have suspected her net worth is roughly $10 million since the Star Wars films. Her considerable new price tag may be mind-boggling to some, as it's above her average quote, but because that was the amount required to bring the new leading star of the Star Wars franchise back, it's hard not to say 'good for her.'

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