Daisy Ridley is expressing interest, and more, for returning to the role of Rey “Skywalker”. But will fans have any interest in all in such a thing?
As with so many other things at this point, you heard it here before it happened.
On January 25th, investigative reporter for That Park Place, Jonas J Campbell, reported on a rumor that Daisy Ridley had been spotted at Lucasfilm. Not only that but we were then presented with some other floating information that indicated there just might be a return to a post-sequel trilogy movie. Now things are heating up.
Here’s Jonas’ original reporting on the timing of all this:
Ridley should be wrapping up production on The Young Woman and the Sea which tells the story of the first woman to swim the English Channel. Whatever is going on with that production, Disney seems keen to snap up the talent involved. The director Joachim Rønning is supposed to be in early talks to direct Tron Ares starring perpetual mystifier Jared Leto.
Does this mean that “somehow” the sequel trilogy will be continued? Or maybe they’re just reshooting something for the Disney Parks? If George Lucas were still involved it could also be to talk about pickups and reshoots for an unnecessary change to VII, VIII, or IX…
Now, THR is reporting that Ridley is ready to return, even if she doesn’t have the plans in hand just quite yet:
Naturally, Star Wars rumors continue to swirl around Ridley, and they likely always will as fans hope to see more of her beloved Jedi, Rey. THR previously reported that Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson are writing a post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker story for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to direct, so the question remains if Ridley/Rey will have a role in the stand-alone installment.
— Bryan Davids, THR
“I really don’t know if there are plans. I just don’t know. But ultimately, I loved my experience, I loved what I got to do and I love the people I got to work with. So, should that happen again, even once, amazing.” — Daisy Ridley
Like Jay of Drunk 3p0 fame, I too believe this may be an attempt by Disney to renew interest in the characters of the sequel trilogy in order to prop up merchandising and theme park offerings. However, in my opinion, I don’t think Disney nor Lucasfilm have considered just how unpopular everything pertaining to the sequel trilogy really is. They seem to think that it’s a presence issue rather than a distaste issue. In other words, it just needs more content to keep people excited… when the reality seems to me to be that people detest everything to do with the “Rise of Palpatine” as they call it. Don’t get me wrong, there are those who enjoy Rey and Kylo and all the rest. But based on everything I’ve seen, they are far less.
If Disney really goes through with all of this, I suspect we will find out just how much of Episode 9 was propped up by fans hoping that Luke Skywalker would be redeemed. Without the legacy characters, Disney would expose Rey to the real market evaluation of just how popular or unpopular the character is. It’s a risk I suspect would be too much — and I certainly wouldn’t advise them to do it — but I can’t wait to cover the situation should they go for it.
For all the latest news that should be fun, keep reading That Park Place. As always, drop a comment down below and let us know your thoughts!
Shes not coming back. She never eluded to tjat. I read the THR story twice. She knows shes not coming back.
“Never interrupt your enemy as he is making a mistake” -Sun Tzu
I never had a problem with Daisy, and I can see where Rey would, under better writing and directing, have a decent path as a character. But I don’t think this is happening.
I don’t mind her coming back as a actress. I think it’d need to be in a different capacity/character than a continuation of the Sequel Trilogy. If they relegate the ST to a ‘Else worlds’ story like how they’re doing at DC, maybe she could be a new character in the Mandalorian timeline? Hell maybe even name her Rey, but she’s a different character entirely as the timeline is different?
As long as she’s not the overpowered and infallible ST Rey, I think Daisy is a capable actress for Star Wars. She could do well with much better writing and directing. (As could all of Disney Star Wars)
Rey was never a popular character that sold merchandise well. Disney managed to botch Poe, Finn, and the other characters too. Only the droids sold well, but I’m not so sure about the newer lampshade droid. Disney with big help from the 2 directors blue it big. They need to just let it rest for 2 decades. Then who knows. Maybe some inspired director and writer can fix the mess.
Hello.
Long time follower of your work here. Concerning the latest rumors regarding a Rey and Grogu movie versus the rumour that Daisy Ridley might reprise Rey in order to retcon the ST. Just wild speculation here – what if those two are related and not in opposition. On Valliant’s stream, the question was asked, why would Daisy do that. Well, retconning the ST doesn’t have to mean her character has been erased. The speculated movie or d+ episodes could be a sort of Endgame-esque story where Rey in the post ST era with Grogu as her apprentice are facing a galactic level threat (such as the Yuuzhan Vong). The New Republic is loing badly and perhaps even Grogu is killed. Rey in desperation seeks means of changing that and starts to see visions of people she never met or even exist.
Invastigating that she learns of the World between worlds and how Palpatine used it not only to save his essence (that was later transferred to the clone body) but also influence key events and people in order to create the serios of event that led to the ST. Even though he was stopped, his influence completely destroyed the new Jedi order and the New Republic leaving the galaxy an easy target for the Vong.
One of the key things Palpatine did was kill Ahsoka, Mara Jade and Ezra (maybe even Kyle Katarn) key people in Luke’s life and/or co-founders of his new Jedi Order and people she saw in her vision. Rey then uses the WbW and saves Ahsoka in the past and with her help they reach out to Luke in order to save the rest and prevent Palpatine from continuing his plans. These events would happen after Ahsoka s01 and Mando s03. Rey also learnes that her existence was also orchestrated by Palpatine so she is in conflict since changing that would cause her never to exist.
The implication would be that they are not retconning or erasing the ST but that this is just a series of events that are a continuation of the ST that are crucial in order to prevent finally Palpatine’s plans and restore the proper series of events. Since in this original timeline, Rey never existed, she stays in the past a becomes an active participant in both preventing Palpatine’s plans and finding a way to prevent the dark future she came from.
From a certain standpoint, the main character (and also the only actor that is open to returning as her character) of Rey is preserved and the ST in not completely erased. That might be an important thing as a certain middle ground or compromise when it comes to people that have an interest in protecting that.
On the other hand, you have just opened up the future of the Mando/Ahsoka-verse, hinted at the things to come (the next trilogy could be the Yuuzhan Vong conflict in this restored timeline, something that would also be hinted on in the Skeleton Crew and Thrawn story in Ahsoka and Mando). Also, from Daisy’s point of view, you’ve just taken her character from the story that no one is really interested in and put her into far more popular and probably for her lucrative Mando/Ahsoka story.
From there, you can take the story whereever you want, you can cherry pick Legends and ST characters however you want. You keep something for the ST fans, do something everybody else wants and move the ST to an alternate timeline status.
Once more, this is my personal specualtion.
Thank you so much for being a longtime reader! I’ll be handing off this thought to Lorn and maybe he can dissect it in its own dedicated article. Fantastic comment!
Thank you for your response. Great work with the new Youtube channel! My post may be a serious case of wishful thinking, but hey, I do believe it would be a great way of coming to a certain middle ground and do something that might open a better future for Star Wars. Can’t wait to see Kamran enter the discussion with Valliant and you when it comes to this.
As you can tell, vjeko, we really do appreciate and care about our readers/viewers. Thank you for being here with us (and the rest of you too)!