Daisy Ridley’s New Star Wars Movie Gets Another New Writer (But Will It Ever Happen?)

The Star Wars franchise’s upcoming New Jedi Order movie, which follows Rey as she leads a new generation of Force-users, has secured another new writer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum, The Adjustment Bureau) is the latest scribe to sign on for the project, which has encountered numerous hurdles since it was first announced during Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023. Nolfi takes over for Steven Knight, who left New Jedi Order back in October 2024. Prior to Knight, the writing duo of Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson took a stab at New Jedi Order.

Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy remains onboard to helm New Jedi Order. Story details are largely being kept under wraps, but The Hollywood Reporter notes that the narrative is set “15 years” after The Rise of Skywalker. Due to the troubles Lucasfilm has had during the pre-production process, no filming start date for New Jedi Order has been scheduled.

Rey, the protagonist of the Skywalker Saga’s sequel trilogy, is considered by some people to be “the most valuable cinematic asset” the Star Wars property currently has. Back in November, it was reported that Lucasfilm was considering “several movies” that placed the character front and center. Besides the standalone New Jedi Order, the studio was also said to be weighing the possibility of developing a film trilogy from writer/producer Simon Kinberg that would include Rey.

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As Lucasfilm tries to figure out the Rey film, its plans for future Star Wars movies are starting to gain some clarity. Earlier this week, word came out that Ryan Gosling had entered talks to headline Shawn Levy’s Star Wars film, which could begin shooting in the fall. Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the next Star Wars movie to hit the big screen, premiering in theaters in May 2026.

Considering that New Jedi Order has already cycled through multiple writers, there’s no guarantee Nolfi will be the one who sticks around. This film has proven to be a tough nut to crack, and it could ultimately be another announced Star Wars project that never sees the light of day. Still, the fact that Lucasfilm keeps hiring different writers suggests the studio is committed to making it work, so they probably won’t be so quick to discard it. Despite The Rise of Skywalker ending the Skywalker Saga on a sour note, the interest in continuing Rey’s story is understandable. All three installments grossed over $1 billion worldwide, and Rey is established as a fan-favorite character. Seeing Ridley return to the role after an extended absence would make New Jedi Order feel like a proper cinematic event, and there’s also the intriguing storytelling possibilities of depicting the challenges Rey faces getting a Jedi Order off the ground.

It’s interesting that Lucasfilm has seemingly stuck with the standalone New Jedi Order as opposed to pursuing Kinberg’s previously reported trilogy. Levy’s film, which is unrelated to the Skywalker Saga, is also a standalone work. This would indicate Lucasfilm’s preference would be to produce one-offs rather than push forward with an entire series of films. There’s logic to that approach; perhaps New Jedi Order is constructed as a standalone film to test the waters, and it could receive a sequel down the line if it’s a hit. Of course, there’s been no indication Kinberg’s trilogy is off the table. If Nolfi’s take on New Jedi Order fails to gain momentum, perhaps that project will have better luck getting off the ground.