Star Wars Writer Reflects on Exiting the Rey Sequel (But Will His Story Be Used?)

Steven Knight, who at one point was attached to write the Star Wars movie about Rey forming a new Jedi Order, reflects on his time working on the project. In an interview with The Telegraph, Knight opened up about his experience working within a massive Hollywood franchise and his attempt to stand out in what he called “the system.” Interestingly, though Knight departed the untitled movie months ago, he expects Lucasfilm will retain some of the concepts from his script in the final product.

“There’s a system, and when you engage with it, you know what it is,” Knight said. “You do your bit, you turn in your draft or drafts, as I did, and then the system moves on. I fully expect that substantial amounts of what I did will be in the movie – who knows? But that’s the expectation.”

Though New Jedi Order was announced at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, the film has encountered hurdles during development, cycling through multiple writers. The Bourne Ultimatum scribe George Nolfi is the latest to try his hand at the script. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film is said to take place 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Daisy Ridley is returning as sequel trilogy heroine Rey, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is still attached as director.

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Earlier this month, Ridley told ComicBook that while she hasn’t read a new script, she is aware of the film’s story and is excited about its potential. The actress noted that Lucasfilm is taking the time to ensure New Jedi Order is the best film it can be. It’s unknown when the movie could begin production. Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu is the next Star Wars film, hitting theaters in May 2026. After that, it sounds like Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie could follow, as it’s targeting a start date later this year.

When Knight left New Jedi Order in October 2024, a reason for his departure wasn’t given. That, combined with Lucasfilm’s secretive nature, makes it tricky to believe whether or not his ideas will still be used. Typically, when a writer leaves a major studio blockbuster like this, it’s because creative differences between the various parties emerged. It’s possible Lucasfilm didn’t like the direction Knight was taking the New Jedi Order story and felt it was better to part ways. However, Knight’s concepts might not be completely scrapped. Star Wars fans may recall Michael Arndt is a credited writer on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, even though he left that project early in its development. If the final draft of New Jedi Order utilizes enough of Knight’s ideas, Lucasfilm will have to give him some sort of credit on the film.

It’s certainly plausible that will happen. The exact differences between the versions of New Jedi Order are unknown, but they likely have some similarities (each draft stems from the same premise of Rey ushering in a new era for the Jedi). Perhaps some broad strokes from Knight’s draft will be carried over into Nolfi’s take, while specific character moments and story beats are discarded. Whenever New Jedi Order sees the light of day, it would be interesting to learn more about each version in greater detail, shedding some light on the film’s development.