Daisy Ridley's New Jedi Order movie is one of the upcoming Star Wars movies that we can expect to release in a few years. The film is said to follow Rey as she leads a new generation of Force-users, and now, a new writer has been tapped to handle the script for the project that's set to feature the directorial debut for Oscar-winning documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Lucasfilm has hired George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum, The Adjustment Bureau) to pen the script for the long-gestating follow-up to 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker.
Nolfi is the latest writer to sign on for the film, which has faced numerous hurdles since it was officially announced by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy during Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023. The 56-year-old American filmmaker takes over for Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), who departed the project in October 2024. Prior to Knight, writing duo Justin Britt-Gibson (The Strain) and Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus) were hired to write the script for the project that currently has the working title Star Wars: New Jedi Order.
Knight's departure from New Jedi Order coincided with the removal of a Star Wars movie scheduled for December 2026 from Disney's film slate, indicating that the project is nowhere near ready to start production. Based on recent updates, it looks like 2026's The Mandalorian & Grogu movie will be followed by Shawn Levy's untitled Star Wars film, which reportedly is trying to cast Ryan Gosling as the lead character.
Nolfi started his career as the screenwriter of blockbuster movies like Ocean's 12 and The Bourne Ultimatum before pivoting to directing the 2011 sci-fi thriller starring Matt Damon, The Adjustment Bureau. In 2020, he directed Anthony Mackie in the drama The Banker, and in 2024, the sci-fi thriller Elevation.
What is Daisy Ridley's new Star Wars movie about?
Story details for Star Wars: New Jedi Order are largely still being kept under wraps, but THR noted that the narrative is set "15 years" after the events of The Rise of the Skywalker. Ridley’s character, Rey, will oversee a new class of Jedi knights. Other than the standalone New Jedi Order film, Lucasfilm also said to be exploring the possibility of developing a new film trilogy from writer/producer Simon Kinberg that would also feature Rey.
In a March 2024 interview, Daisey Ridley briefly talked about how New Jedi Order will bridge the gap between The Rise of Skywalker and the upcoming film:
I didn't feel there was a stone left uncovered... So, I felt very satisfied... I started that at 21, and I'm now 31. I feel different... It will be interesting coming in, personally, in a different zone. And, also, in those intervening years from the last film, what has happened, and where has that led Rey to?
Due to the hurdles Lucasfilm faced during the pre-production stage, no filming start date for New Jedi Order has been scheduled, bur hiring Nolfi is a good indication that Lucasfilm is moving forward to get Ridley's project into theaters.
