The Delayed Development of Rey's New Jedi Order Movie
A new Star Wars movie featuring Daisy Ridley's Rey has been in the works at Lucasfilm for a while now, but a new update reveals the movie might not be as far along as audiences hoped. The upcoming Star Wars film, which will supposedly see the return of Rey and a new Jedi order, has already survived one round of Star Wars cancellations.
Star Wars Rey
It also underwent a previous development shake-up when Watchmen creator Damon Lindeloff and Justin Brit-Gibson from Into the Badlands decided to step back from writing the project together. Following their exit, the studio brought Peaky Blinders filmmaker Steven Knight on to pen the film, or at least to finish what Lindeloff and Gibson had started.
However, a recent update from Jason Ward on his MakingStarWars livestream revealed that insider sources say a draft of the Star Wars film has yet to be written. 'I was told that Knight hasn’t written it, he hasn’t got to it. The scheduling and the stars did not align,' Ward said regarding Knight's draft. However, he clarified that this doesn't necessarily mean it's not happening at all but simply that it hasn't happened yet. This massive delay may be partly due to Knight's attempt to finish the screenplay for his Peaky Blinders movie, which is scheduled to begin production this summer.
It was believed, until recently, that the Rey Skywalker movie would be the next Star Wars film to hit theaters after Lucasfilm's long break from theatrical releases. However, this week, Jon Favreau's Star Wars flick, The Mandalorian and Grogu, was pushed to the front of the line and set to begin filming this year.
Before the news, Grogu had been rumored to play a significant role in the New Jedi Order storyline. While this news shocked many fans, the first red flags were raised in November when Ridley admitted she had not yet read a script for the film. The Rey actor claimed she knew the story, saying to Collider, “I’m very excited. The story is really cool. I’m waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don’t have any other updates. It’s not what I expected, but I’m very excited.”
Although other rumors about the film, including which villains will appear in the Star Wars movie, have circulated, Knight's writing setbacks, Ridley's recent admission, and the announcement of a different Star Wars story taking precedence may spell trouble for the Rey movie. If it makes it to production, the film will be directed by Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and will likely feature many of the same returning characters.
Implications and Uncertainty
For now, a Rey-centric sequel is still listed on the Lucasfilm Star Wars slate, and its completion could be a matter of waiting for Knight to finish his Peaky Blinders feature. Fans shouldn't hold their breath, however, as a completed draft of the New Jedi Order movie probably doesn't even exist yet. The Star Wars saga is available on Disney Plus.
The Future of Rey's New Jedi Order Movie
The recent delay in the development of the Rey Skywalker movie and the prioritization of The Mandalorian and Grogu have raised concerns about the future of the New Jedi Order movie. It is evident that the film has faced numerous obstacles, from writer setbacks to the scheduling conflicts of key personnel. While the Rey-centric sequel is still part of the Lucasfilm Star Wars slate, the completion of the movie remains uncertain.
The delay in the movie's progress has left fans wondering about the fate of Rey and the new Jedi order. With the absence of a completed draft and the challenges faced by the production team, the likelihood of the movie making it to the big screen is in question. However, if the film does come to fruition, it will be directed by the talented Canadian-Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and is expected to feature the return of familiar characters.
