Rey’s New Jedi Order movie keeps getting pushed back, but that’s actually good news for Star Wars. It’s hard to believe that it’s actually been two years now since Daisy Ridley’s Star Wars return was announced. I was there at Star Wars Celebration, and I’ll never forget the excitement.
Ridley was originally slated to appear in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Jedi Order movie, but there have since been reports she’s likely to turn up in a Star Wars trilogy written by Simon Kinberg instead. The latest reports from scooper Daniel Richtman claim the New Jedi Order film has been pushed back yet again.
We’ve had a lot of canceled Star Wars movies, so I totally get why the fandom is starting to panic. Over on Reddit, I’ve seen chatter suggesting “Star Wars is cursed.” But that’s not true; instead, the latest comments from Richtman are pretty much what I expected, and they’re good news.
The Future Of Star Wars Is Finally Taking Shape
Lucasfilm Seem To Be Figuring Things Out At Last
The Disney era of Star Wars has been a troubled one. Lucasfilm seemed to lose confidence in the movies after the box office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story, and the sequel trilogy didn’t exactly end on a high note. The focus shifted to Disney+, to a range of Star Wars TV shows beginning with The Mandalorian and recently building to a peak in Andor season 2.
All that’s changing now. Two Star Wars movies are in the works; one has finished filming, and the second is due to start in September.
- The Mandalorian and Grogu – due to release on May 22, 2026
- Star Wars: Starfighter – due to release on May 28, 2027
When Disney originally bought Lucasfilm, the studio was pushed to do too much, too quickly. Now, we’re moving to one Star Wars movie a year, and Lucasfilm is only producing one at a time. There are still risks; there’s no way to learn from any missteps with The Mandalorian and Grogu before Shawn Levy’s Starfighter begins shooting. But it’s a lot more sensible and sustainable.
It also means the latest reports make sense; ᴀssuming Rey’s New Jedi Order movie is next, it won’t start production until next year, after Starfighter has wrapped.
Star Wars Needs The Time To Get Rey’s Return Right
There’s Too Much Riding On Daisy Ridley’s Return
Recent reports have claimed Rey is Star Wars “most valuable cinematic ᴀsset.” Those reports are right; the sequels may not have been universally loved, but I’ll never forget the electricity at Star Wars Celebration two years ago. One movie in production at once means Lucasfilm has plenty of time to get Rey’s return right. Ridley herself has stressed this:
“People have talked about it a lot that the release date often affects films and how quickly things go into production. So the freedom to make sure that this script is the best way to tell this story is wonderful, and I don’t think any fans would want it to be rushed. The wait will be worth it.“
Ridley is absolutely right. The delays to Star Wars‘ New Jedi Order movie aren’t bad news at all, nor are they a sign that “Star Wars is cursed.” Instead, they’re a good sign, a step in the right direction.
Star Wars isn’t in a hurry anymore. The delays to Rey’s New Jedi Order movie prove it. And that’s definitely a good thing.
