Star Wars has been a beloved franchise since 1977 throughout changing generations, influencing pop culture through epic space opera sagas, multiple spin-offs, and merchandise. However, the franchise is missing its old level of success lately, which makes fans wonder about the future of the Star Wars universe.
Hopes were raised again when Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker’s return was promised for a post-Skywalker saga. However, the problems that the project is facing appear to resemble the typical setbacks faced by superhero genres and movies with big cinematic universes.
Steven Knight Exits Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Lucasfilm announced in 2023 that the new Star Wars movie reportedly named New Jedi Order will focus on the story of Rey Skywalker years after the event in The Rise of Skywalker. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was signed to direct the film, and fans expected to see Rey trying to restore the Jedi order from scratch.
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However, the plan seems to have suffered a big blow with screenwriter Steven Knight, who has dropped out of the project. Knight left the show after creative conflicts with Lucasfilm, as reported by Puck. According to World of Reel, Knight reportedly wrote at least four script drafts, but Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy has been dissatisfied with each one of them.
Steven Knight is one of the creators of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? He has previously written films and shows like Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, The Detectives, Peaky Blinders, and Taboo. He has also written the screenplays for The Hundred-Foot Journey and Pawn Sacrifice.
Losing someone with such a remarkable filmography might not be very healthy for the studio. However, this is not the first creative disagreement for the project. Writers Damon Lindelof and Justin Brit-Gibson had also written some drafts of the script before exiting.
The situation resembles Marvel’s Blade, as it also got recently excluded from the November 2025 release list. Just like New Jedi Order, Blade has had its fair share of changes in the creative team and countless delays despite having a star lead in Mahershala Ali.
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The initial plan for New Jedi Order was to release it in December 2026. But now it is predicted that the filming will not start until 2025 at best. The constant creative changes give rise to the speculation that Disney might even second-guess the entire project.
Daisy Ridley Keeps Hopes Alive for Rey Skywalker’s Return
However, it looks like the behind-the-scenes drama has least affected Daisy Ridley, who is ready to return to the galaxy far, far away. During a Q&A session with Collider, Ridley shared an update (via r/StarWarsLeaks),
Things are evolving. I continue to be very excited. There will be an update soon.
The actress is as excited about the project as ever. However, she also told Collider that she hadn’t read any script yet. This also indicates that the creative team might be starting from scratch after Knight’s departure.
For Ridley, coming back to the franchise as the lead is much more than an opportunity to work again. She told People,
Coming back to it, I mean, it felt, honestly, I was like, ‘Oh my God, really?’ I was really surprised when Kathleen [Kennedy] asked, but how could I not? I mean, I love [Rey] as a character, and I love the films. I love the potential of the next one.
So far, Ridley has not shared much about the project. However, speaking to People, she said that her husband, Tom Bateman, is the only person who knows everything about her character’s inclusion.
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The next big update about the movie might come at the Star Wars Celebration in Japan on April 18 to 20, 2025. Historically, the event has been used to discuss more details regarding planned projects in the Star Wars universe.
The Star Wars movies are available to stream on Disney+.
Frequently asked questions
What is Daisy Ridley’s new Star Wars movie about?
The film, widely reported under the working title Star Wars: New Jedi Order, would see Daisy Ridley return as Rey Skywalker as she works to rebuild the Jedi Order roughly 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has been attached to direct for Lucasfilm. Story details remain limited and the title is not officially locked, and Ridley has said she had not yet read a script, so specifics may still change.
Why is Daisy Ridley’s Star Wars movie being delayed?
The article points to repeated creative-team turnover. Screenwriter Steven Knight is reported to have exited after multiple drafts failed to satisfy Lucasfilm and producer Kathleen Kennedy, following earlier departures by writers Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson. With the script still unsettled, the project’s once-targeted timeline slipped rather than moving into production as planned.
How is the Star Wars film being compared to Marvel’s Blade?
The piece draws the parallel because both projects cycled through multiple writers and creative shake-ups and saw their release plans repeatedly slip despite having a committed lead star, Daisy Ridley for Star Wars and Mahershala Ali for Blade. Marvel’s Blade was delayed several times and pulled from its release slot, and the article frames the Star Wars film as showing similar warning signs. This is the author’s comparison rather than an official studio statement.
