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Credit: LucasfilmLast year, Lucasfilm revealed that Star Wars would be heading back to the future. After spending an awful long time in the immediate decade following the original trilogy with The Mandalorian and more time in the years preceding it with Andor, the Star Wars franchise will expand further forward than it ever has before with the New Jedi Order era of projects. And Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker looks set to lead this all-important expansion of the Star Wars galaxy.
Since the excitement of the announcement last year, rumors of the Ridley project continue to swirl. It’s in? It’s out? Is it delayed? But what actually is the New Jedi Order era, when is it happening, and just how much is the actress reportedly getting paid for her return? One thing’s for sure: if the salary is accurate, then Lucasfilm really is ignoring the naysayers.
Daisy Ridley and Star Wars
Who does Daisy Ridley play in Star Wars?
British actress Daisy Ridley, 31, first appeared in Star Wars in Disney’s sequel trilogy. After The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012, the House of Mouse quickly got to work in bringing the next chapter of the Star Wars saga to fans across the world. But, taking place decades after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983), the franchise needed a new hero.
Ridley stars as Rey in Disney’s Star Wars films. Rey is a scavenger on the planet Jakku and quickly gets involved in the fight between the First Order and the Resistance, eventually learning she is force-sensitive and training under Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher)–the protagonist siblings from the original trilogy. Rey’s main adversary throughout the sequel trilogy is Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). In the final installment of the trilogy, Rey learns she is a Palpatine, but opts to take the Skywalker name.
What films does Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker appear in?
Ridley’s Rey appears in all three of the sequel trilogy films: Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
What’s next for Rey in Star Wars?
Rey Skywalker is set to return to the Star Wars galaxy in an upcoming New Jedi Order era film, set after the climactic events of The Rise of Skywalker. The new Star Wars movie is currently in development at Lucasfilm.
New Jedi Order Movie
What is the New Jedi Order movie?
The New Jedi Order movie was announced at last year’s Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. During the studios’ panel, Kennedy revealed that three new movies were in development for the Star Wars saga. The first, a Dawn of the Jedi movie from director James Mangold; the second, a “Mando-Verse” crossover movie from Dave Filoni; and the third from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy exploring a new beginning with Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker set to lead this future wave of Jedi.
Plot details have not been shared, neither has any more casting information. Will John Boyega and Oscar Isaac return as Finn and Poe Dameron? Will the new threat to the Jedi be anything like the Galactic Empire or the First Order? Who knows?
What is important to this new era is the woman behind it. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will be the first woman and first person of color to helm a Star Wars movie. The two-time Academy Award winner is a director and documentarian, winning the coveted award first in 2011 for Saving Face and the second in 2015 for A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness. For Disney, Obaid-Chinoy directed two episodes of the Ms. Marvel Disney+ series.
How much is Daisy Ridley getting paid for Star Wars return?
It was all quiet on the Rey Skywalker front up until Lucasfilm dropped the bombshell that another, previously unannounced movie would “lead” Lucasfilm’s current development slate. The reveal of The Mandalorian & Grogu film from director Jon Favreau was followed by a storm of rumors that suggested the Daisy Ridley Rey movie had been postponed indefinitely. There has been no official word from Lucasfilm on the matter, and fans should still expect Rey to make her big return sometime in the near future.
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In fact, new reports seemingly point to Rey Skywalker appearing in more than just her own movie. According to entertainment insider Jeff Sneider (via SFF Gazette), Daisy Ridley is pocketing $12.5 million for her Star Wars return, a huge sum for just one movie, and hints that Rey may be big in Lucasfilm’s plans to extend the galaxy beyond the events of the sequel trilogy. The scooper goes on to suggest that the Rey movie would likely release following The Mandalorian & Grogu but before Filoni and Mangold’s respective movies.
Related: New Information Comes To Light About ‘Star Wars’ After Lucasfilm Changes ‘The Mandalorian’ Forever
Ridley’s reported salary would position her as holding a major role for the entire Star Wars franchise, with Rey likely being lined up to become the next Luke Skywalker and central Jedi Master of the series.
The upcoming Star Wars film currently has no release date.
Are you looking forward to this new Star Wars movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!