It feels like the Star Wars franchise is heading towards a pivotal moment, at least on the film side. While several television projects have been met with fan-approval and gargantuan ratings, the latest trilogy is still very divisive, to say the least.
It seems like a bit of that pressure can be reflected in the latest comments from Rey Skywalker actress Daisy Ridley, who has some bubbly excitement when it comes to the
Ridley will reprise the character in a forthcoming film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, per an announcement made at Star Wars Celebration 2023 on April 7, 2023.
While speaking to Total Film to promote her upcoming release, Young Woman and the Sea, Ridley seemed to have some frenetic energy when discussing the project.
"It’s really strange. I think the whole thing will feel so different anyway with a totally different team," said Ridley, who is now 32. When she first started filming The Force Awakens back in April 2014, she was 22 and had a modest number of roles under her belt.
Ten years later, things are a lot different, as Ridley confirmed, "I’m in a very different place than I was. I’m probably going to be one of the adults, and initially, I was the youngest person on set, which is a weird feeling."
With no Star Wars Celebration slated for this year (the next convention is slated for 2025 in Japan), fans are hoping that more details on the project will be announced on May 4 aka Star Wars Day.
It's expected that filming on the project will kick off in late-2024 or early-2025 for a 2026 release date. In terms of the production, Ridley noted, "I would also hope that it’s a lot of the same crew."
"Obviously, many people shifted, but many people stayed the same through all three films, and there was something wonderful and comforting about that. But I don’t know. It all remains to be seen. I would hope it feels natural in some way, but also like – I don’t know – like it’s a new adventure. I’m hoping it’s sort of a bit of both."
Naturally, fans are curious about who might be returning along with Rey in the new film. Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron and John Boyega's Finn are presumably still out there in the galaxy, fighting the good fight.
Additionally, Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker could always show up as a Force Ghost!