Daisy Ridley’s Rey may be heading back to the big screen, but new reports suggest she won’t be the one leading the charge. Lucasfilm’s planned trilogy from writer Simon Kinberg is said to be built around a fresh pair of protagonists, with the last Skywalker guiding them from the sidelines.
Jon Watts is attached to direct the first film in the new trilogy, which could pick up the Skywalker Saga after Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and potentially carry the Star Wars: Episode X banner. Early story details now point to a structure that will feel familiar to anyone who followed the sequel trilogy.
Two New Leads, One Familiar Dynamic
The first details came from insider Daniel Richtman, who reported that Watts’ film will feature two lead characters, with Rey serving as their mentor. Richtman added that Rey’s standalone movie has not been scrapped but has instead been placed on hold.
Another Star Wars insider, @fiveswalker, later offered more on the characters, per SFFGazette, noting that Lucasfilm is reportedly seeking male and female leads for the project.
“Episode X will have duo leads like Finn and Rey,” the scooper explains. “Their dynamic is very much that archetype, but with a more clearly defined romantic component. [The] male lead comes from a harsh orphaned background just like Rey and is swept up into the story after being implicated in a killing.”
The female lead, meanwhile, sits at the opposite end of the galaxy’s social ladder. “[The] female lead comes from high society, a perfectionist. Royalty,” they continued. “She and the male lead are caught up in a big adventure together, with her bringing him into the larger ‘world’s stage’ of Star Wars characters we know.”
The parallels to Rey (Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) are hard to miss. Rey began as a scavenger on Jakku, while Finn broke away from the First Order, and the pair were thrown together into a larger conflict. The difference this time appears to be romance, which is reportedly being written into the relationship from the start rather than left as subtext.
Where Does This Leave the Rey Movie?
Ridley was previously confirmed to return as Rey in a film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Frequently referred to as the New Jedi Order, the project was designed to follow Rey as she worked to rebuild the Jedi after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.
That film’s lengthy development has led many to question its place on Lucasfilm’s schedule. Notably, positioning Rey as a teacher to a new generation fits neatly with the Jedi-rebuilding premise of her solo story, which could explain why the character is being folded into Kinberg’s plans.
What remains unclear is how the two projects relate. They could be merged, the trilogy could replace the standalone film, or both could move forward separately. Lucasfilm has not confirmed that the Rey movie has been canceled or absorbed into the trilogy.
Jon Watts Knows Big Franchises
Watts’ attachment was first reported by Knight Edge Media before major entertainment outlets picked up the story. He directed Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and he is already part of the Star Wars family as co-creator of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew with Christopher Ford. He also directed two episodes of the Disney+ series.
Kinberg has been developing the trilogy for a couple of years. Lucasfilm has not announced a release date or a detailed plot.
A Shifting Slate
The report arrives amid a year of leadership transitions at Lucasfilm. Kathleen Kennedy has stepped down as president, and Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan have taken on new leadership roles.
It also further complicates the three-film slate unveiled at Star Wars Celebration Europe in April 2023: James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi, Filoni’s New Republic film, and Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey movie. Those films were meant to span the ancient past, the era of the Disney+ shows, and the years after the sequel trilogy.
None has been officially canceled, but other projects have since overtaken them. The Mandalorian and Grogu brought the franchise back to theaters in 2026, and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, arrives in May 2027 as part of the franchise’s 50th anniversary period. The Kinberg-Watts film is reportedly among Lucasfilm’s more advanced projects after Starfighter, though the trilogy is still awaiting approval.
For now, Episode X appears poised to push the Skywalker Saga forward with new faces at the front and Rey in a supporting role. Fans hoping to see her lead her own adventure may have to wait a little longer.
How do you feel about the upcoming tenth installment of the Star Wars Skywalker Saga? Let us know in the comments down below!
