The Rey-centric Star Wars movie has had two constants: star Daisy Ridley, reprising her role from the sequel trilogy, and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Everything else has shifted around in the great sands of Lucasfilm—including its presumed release date, and who’ll be writing the screenplay. Today we have a new name to add to that latter growing list, with George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum, The Adjustment Bureau, Ocean’s 12, Elevation) coming aboard.
Nolfi is the latest writer to take on the project following Steven Knight’s departure in October 2024; prior to that, co-writers Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson had the gig. As the Hollywood Reporter reminds us, “The new story is said to take place 15 years after the events seen in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, with Ridley’s character now a mentor [to] a new crop of Jedis.”
The news of a fresh pen joining the Rey movie comes as Star Wars‘ long-in-flux future plans on the big screen are maybe, sorta, starting to take shape. The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the first theatrical release since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker; it’s due out May 22, 2026, and will be directed and co-written (with Dave Filoni) by Jon Favreau. Then, earlier this week, word filtered through the asteroid field that Ryan Gosling was in talks to star in Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie, whose story is unknown but is believed to be a standalone tale not directly linked to the Skywalker Saga.
As of this writing that deal has not been made official, but Gosling potentially coming aboard Levy’s film could make Lucasfilm’s post-Mandalorian & Grogu release schedule shift… again. However, today’s update is a positive sign that the Rey movie is still in active development, and fans can cross their fingers that this time, Nolfi’s contribution will be the one that sticks. You can assume with great confidence that many more details about what’s to come for Star Wars at the movies, and beyond, will be announced at April’s Star Wars Celebration Japan.
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