How Rey’s New Star Wars Movie Is Affected by Kathleen Kennedy’s Exit Explained by Daisy Ridley

Lucasfilm announced Daisy Ridley’s “New Jedi Order” two years ago now, but none of that batch of films have actually happened under president Kathleen Kennedy. But Kennedy has now stepped down, replaced by co-presidents Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, and the future looks set to take a very different direction. Kennedy gave a final update on six Star Wars movies, but was curiously silent about Rey’s New Jedi Order movie.

Kennedy’s departure was something of an open secret, and USAToday has published an interview from December 2025 in which they asked Ridley how Kennedy’s likely exit would affect the project. “It won’t affect me going forward if it were to be true,” Ridley stressed. “It’s really wonderful to be part of something where people maybe don’t know as much,” she continued, clearly entertained at the interest. “And I love that people want to know, but it will also be a great surprise then when the thing is done.”

Lucasfilm Need to Get Rey’s Return Right

The pressure is certainly on for Rey’s “New Jedi Order” movie, and Ridley has consistently insisted the studio is taking the time to get it right. We’ll see Star Wars finally return to the big screen in May with The Mandalorian & Grogu, but the real relaunch moment feels like next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter, releasing as part of the franchise’s 50th anniversary. The studio seems to be returning to a model where we get one Star Wars movie every year, so there’s been speculation Rey will return in 2028. But if so, there will need to be movement soon.

Ridley was originally signed up to a film project helmed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, but we haven’t heard much from her of late. The common assumption right now is that Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars trilogy will actually feature Ridley in a mentor capacity as the torch is passed on to a new generation of Jedi, but that’s uncertain. Kennedy confirmed that Lucasfilm expect Kinberg to hand over another draft in March, so we’ll be waiting with eager anticipation.

That said, Ridley herself doesn’t seem in any rush to make a new Star Wars movie. USAToday asked whether there would be any news this year, and she gave a pretty noncommittal response. “Maybe,” Ridley answered simply. “I don’t know about 2026. In the future sometime, yeah.” The actress has previously said she sees no reason to rush, wanting the scripts to be perfect, and she’s clearly sticking to that view.

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