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Credit: LucasfilmAudiences across the world got to know British actress Daisy Ridley in Star Wars, and now new information has been revealed about the plot of her upcoming movie.
Daisy Ridley gained worldwide recognition after appearing as Rey in the Star Wars franchise’s sequel trilogy. Beginning with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2015), Ridley went on to star as a leading protagonist in Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019) alongside fellow franchise newcomers John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), as well as George Lucas’s original trilogy heavyweights Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), and Carrie Fisher (General Leia Organa).
The Walt Disney Company’s sequel trilogy proved quite divisive upon its release, especially the latter two installments. Many blasted director Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, and the sequel’s sophomore movie became one of the most polarizing parts of the 40-year-old franchise. JJ Abrams, who directed The Force Awakens, returned for The Rise of Skywalker after Colin Trevorrow departed the project. Still, the LOST co-creator’s finale proved just as troubling for the fandom as its predecessor.
Related: ‘Star Wars’ Follows Through on Promise, Pours Energy Into Righting Sequel Trilogy
That said, the Star Wars universe — as always — endures. At this year’s Star Wars Celebration Europe, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy announced three more movies are in the works from the studio. James Mangold will direct a film based on the discovery of the Force; the very earliest Star Wars has ever been back in time. Then, Dave Filoni will lead the current Disney+ “Mando-Verse” to the big screen with a massive crossover event set in the world of the New Republic. And lastly, documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will establish the New Jedi Order, set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. No release dates yet for any of the upcoming Star Wars movie slate.
Obaid-Chinoy shocked fans at SWCE when it was revealed that Rey would be the one rebuilding the Jedi Order after the Empire’s decimation of the light side users, bringing out Daisy Ridley to screaming crowds.
But before all of this, before Ridley’s highly-anticipated return, the Star Wars icon has been tapped for another action-thriller, except this one is set very much on Earth and not in the galaxy far, far away.
As confirmed by Deadline, Ridley will star as ex-soldier Joey Locke in Martin Campbell’s new movie Cleaner (TBD). Campbell is best known for directing Casino Royale (2006) with Daniel Craig and also for the box-office bomb Green Lantern (2011) with Ryan Reynolds.
Per Deadline, the synopsis is as follows:
The timely action-thriller, set in present-day London, will see radical activists take over an energy company’s annual gala at the Shard – the tallest skyscraper in Western Europe – seizing 300 hostages in order to expose the corruption of the hosts. Their just cause is hijacked by a zealous extremist within their ranks, who is ready to murder everyone in the building to send his anarchic message to the world.
It continues:
It falls to an ex-soldier turned window cleaner, Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley) – suspended 90 stories up on the outside of the building – to save those trapped inside and take down the killers, whilst also finding a way to bring the corrupt energy moguls to justice.
Related: Farewell! ‘Star Wars’ Leaving Skywalker Saga Behind, New Movies “In Movement All Along”
No word yet on whether the movie will actually be shot on the Shard in London, but Campbell says that Cleaner is a “nail-biting thriller” and hopes to keep the audience suspended in the air with Ridley’s Joey Locke as she aims to save those inside. He added, “There isn’t a more instinctive and powerful actress than Daisy right now to help us do just that.”
There isn’t a release date yet, but Campbell’s movie is set to begin filming this summer. Cleaner is produced by Sebastien Raybaud.
Will you be heading to see Daisy Ridley, AKA Rey Skywalker, take on extremists 1,000 feet in the air? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!