Credit: LucasfilmFew characters in modern blockbuster cinema have sparked as much conversation as Rey.
Introduced as a scavenger on the desert world of Jakku, Rey (Daisy Ridley) made her debut in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) before returning in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) and finally Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Across those three films, the character evolved from a mysterious Force-sensitive survivor into the last hope for the Jedi, ultimately adopting the Skywalker name in the saga’s closing scene, which is arguably the most divisive in the entire sequel trilogy.
Related: Daisy Ridley’s ‘Star Wars’ TV Series Return Explained
Rey’s Sequel Trilogy Backlash
While The Force Awakens was mostly embraced by fans—while earning over $2 billion worldwide and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time—the follow-ups proved far more divisive. The Last Jedi, which earned roughly $1.3 billion globally, split audiences with its bold storytelling choices and its portrayal of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), while The Rise of Skywalker, taking in just over $1 billion, drew criticism for its retconning of the previous films and its lackluster finale.
But despite the criticism Rey has faced alongside the backlash to the sequel trilogy, with many describing her as a poorly written “Mary Sue” character, both Disney and Lucasfilm have consistently positioned her as the figurehead of the franchise’s future instead of Luke.
Rey Has Been Brought to Life in Disney Parks
Since her debut, Rey’s appearances have also extended far beyond the big screen.
At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, guests regularly encounter Rey as part of the land’s immersive storytelling, reinforcing her role as a key Resistance hero. Luke has only recently been added to the themed land, alongside other fellow legacy characters like Han Solo and Princess Leia.
Rey also plays a part in the flagship attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, where visitors join her fight against the First Order. Daisy Ridley even appears as the character via footage recorded, alongside fellow sequel trilogy actors Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, and Kipsang Rotich as Nien Nunb.
These experiences have helped cement Rey’s place as a leading character within the Star Wars franchise, particularly for younger fans encountering the character outside the films.
Related: Years After Sequel Trilogy, Disney Has Recast Rey Skywalker in ‘Star Wars’
Rey’s Appearances Across Star Wars Media
Rey’s reach stretches across multiple forms of media as well, having appeared in titles like Disney Infinity 3.0 (2015), LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2016), and Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017), as well as animated projects including Star Wars: Forces of Destiny (2017–2018) and more recently, the miniseries LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy (2024) and its follow-up, LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy — Pieces of the Past (2025).
In addition to her appearances across games and animated shows, Rey has also featured prominently in Star Wars comic books and novels.
Rey Returns in One of the Biggest Star Wars Experiences Ever
Now, Rey’s continued presence has carried over into a brand-new Star Wars event in the hugely popular online game, Fortnite, bringing the sequel trilogy hero back into the spotlight. The latest crossover once again integrates characters from a galaxy far, far away into the Battle Royale, with Rey featured as part of the current in-game experience.
Watch the official trailer for Fortnite – STAR WARS Experience from Nintendo Switch 2, where Rey can be seen in her Last Jedi attire riding a tauntaun, laying waste to stormtroopers with her lightsaber, and duking it out with Emperor Palpatine (her grandfather!):
Here’s the official description for the event, which started on May 1:
“For years, Epic, Disney and Lucasfilm have created STAR WARS experiences in Fortnite, from limited-time events to entire Battle Royale seasons. Now developers are building STAR WARS games in Fortnite using the official STAR WARS toolkit, complete with iconic characters, environments, vehicles and assets from Lucasfilm.
Starting May 1, hundreds of these islands will go live and Fortnite will be the only place where you can come together with friends to race tauntauns through icy tracks, run a bustling cantina on Tatooine, pilot a T-65B X-wing starfighter, and go on imaginative Star Wars adventures.”
Of course, several other Star Wars characters appear in the event, including Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. But the fact that Rey is given center stage in the official trailer instead of Luke, who was the figurehead of the entire franchise for almost 40 years, speaks volumes.
Rey’s Untitled Solo Movie
While Rey has enjoyed many appearances across the franchise since her debut in 2015, her standalone film, set to be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is still in development.
Set approximately 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, the untitled project is expected to follow Rey, with Daisy Ridley reprising her role, as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order in a post-First Order galaxy. But with no confirmed release date and multiple rewrites reported, the film appears to be stuck in development and isn’t currently part of Lucasfilm’s slate.
The next two films are Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026), which stars Pedro Pascal and releases on May 22, and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter (2027) starring Ryan Gosling, which hits theaters on May 28, next year.
There have been rumors that Daisy Ridley will appear as Rey in Starfighter, which takes place five years after The Rise of Skywalker. Here’s the synopsis from TheWaltDisneyCompany.com:
“Star Wars: Starfighter, which will be directed by Shawn Levy and star Ryan Gosling, is a standalone adventure taking place approximately five years after the events of 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. The film, which will begin production this fall, is an entirely new adventure featuring all-new characters set in a period of time that has not been explored on screen yet.”
For now, Rey’s future on the big screen may be unclear—but across theme parks, video games, and now Fortnite, her presence in the Star Wars universe is anything but fading.
Are you a fan of Rey and the Star Wars sequel trilogy? Will you be playing Star Wars in Fortnite this month? Let us know in the comments below!
