Alright, let’s talk about the galaxy far, far away. Grab your blue milk, settle into your favorite cantina booth, and let’s have a real heart-to-heart. Because let’s be honest, Star Wars is a glorious, beautiful, and spectacular hot mess right now.
On one hand, we’re living in a post-Andor world. That show, folks, was something special. It was the gritty, intelligent, adult-oriented Star Wars many of us have been dreaming of since we first saw the Death Star loom over a tiny transport ship. It was, without a doubt, the greatest thing to come out of the franchise since the original trilogy. Absolute peak magnificence. A testament to what happens when you give a true visionary the keys and let them drive.
But on the other, much larger, much more frustrating hand… where are the movies?
As we cruise through 2024 and look ahead to 2025, it’s a sobering thought: it has been six long years since a Star Wars movie graced the silver screen. Six years! In Hollywood time, that’s an eternity. That drought is set to stretch to seven years, and what’s the big, triumphant return we’re getting? The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m going to see it. You’re going to see it. We’re all going to see it. But it feels less like a cinematic event and more like an extended, big-budget episode of a Disney+ show. It’s Season 3.5, and after the lackluster reception of Season 3, it’s hard to muster up that classic, opening-night Star Wars excitement.
This strange state of affairs is the backdrop for the latest news to cause a disturbance in the Force: the much-talked-about, and frankly, much-dreaded Rey movie has reportedly been put on ice. Again.
The “Much-Anticipated” Rey Movie Hits the Brakes… Again
Remember Star Wars Celebration 2023? The lights, the cheers, the big announcements? That’s when Lucasfilm officially unveiled Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s film, which would feature the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. They billed it as a “much-anticipated” return.
And to that, the collective fandom kind of scratched its head and asked, “…Is it, though?”
Let’s be clear: this is no slight against Daisy Ridley. She is a phenomenal actress who gave her all to the role. The fundamental concept of Rey—a forgotten scavenger discovering her immense power—is a solid one. The problem isn’t the actress or even the core of the character. The problem is the baggage. The sequels remain an incredible flashpoint, a deep fissure of division that split the Star Wars fandom like nothing before it.
So, when entertainment insider Daniel Richtman reported on his Patreon that the Rey movie is now “on hold again,” it didn’t come as a shock. It felt… inevitable. Richtman reiterated that “on hold” doesn’t mean “cancelled,” but it’s a familiar dance for Star Wars fans. The project has been paused, reportedly so Lucasfilm can prioritize two other films: Shawn Levy’s “Starfighter” movie and James Mangold’s untitled “Dawn of the Jedi” epic.
We’ll get to those glimmers of hope in a minute. But first, let’s dissect why pumping the brakes on the Rey movie might be the smartest thing Lucasfilm has done in years.
Why a Rey Movie Was Always a Risky Bet
Trying to build the future of Star Wars on the shaky foundation of the sequel trilogy has always felt incredibly short-sighted. You can’t unify a fractured fanbase by picking up the very story that fractured it in the first place.
Think about it. The character of Rey, through no fault of her own, is mired in narrative controversy. She’s Palpatine’s granddaughter… somehow. She buries the Skywalker lightsabers on a desert planet she has no connection to. She adopts the Skywalker name “just because,” a moment that felt unearned to a huge portion of the audience. The idea of this character, with this messy and divisive lineage, being the one to build a New Jedi Order? It’s a tough pill to swallow.
It’s not that it couldn’t be a good movie. With a truly masterful script, anything is possible. But the excitement just isn’t there. No one is clamoring for this. Imagine a new CEO taking over Lucasfilm. Do you really think their first big move would be to say, “You know what will bring the fans back together? You know what spice we need to get this franchise soaring again? A Rey Skywalker movie!”
Of course not. It feels like a move born from an obligation to continue a story that most people, both lovers and haters of the sequels, felt had reached its conclusion. Pushing forward with it feels like picking at a scab, guaranteeing that the online discourse will immediately devolve into the same tired arguments that have plagued the fandom for the better part of a decade.
So, yes, the movie is on hold. And honestly? Good. Let it stay there.
Welcome to the Ghost Fleet of Announced Star Wars Movies
The skepticism around any new Star Wars movie announcement is, at this point, well-earned. Lucasfilm has developed a bit of a reputation for announcing projects with great fanfare, only for them to quietly vanish into the void.
The Rey movie isn’t a unique case; it’s part of a pattern. It now joins the ranks of the “Ghost Fleet” of Star Wars films:
- Kevin Feige’s Movie: The architect of the MCU was going to produce a Star Wars film. Sounded amazing, right? Gone.
- Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron: A Top Gun-style movie about X-wing pilots? Yes, please! Announced with a cool video and everything. Shelved indefinitely.
- Rian Johnson’s Trilogy: After The Last Jedi, Johnson was promised his own corner of the galaxy to play in. It’s been seven years, and there’s no sign of it.
- The D&D Trilogy: Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were slated to make a series of films, possibly set in the Old Republic. They departed for a Netflix deal.
This is why, when Lucasfilm says they’re pausing the Rey movie to focus on Shawn Levy’s and James Mangold’s projects, a part of us screams “Hooray!” while another, more cynical part whispers, “…I’ll believe it when I’m holding the popcorn bucket.”
And that’s a shame, because these two projects sound fantastic.
Shawn Levy’s “Starfighter” Movie: Levy, fresh off directing Deadpool & Wolverine and producing Stranger Things, is a master of fun, character-driven blockbusters. The idea of him helming a movie focused on the regular Joes of the galaxy—the pilots who aren’t Force-sensitive but fight for the Rebellion anyway—is brilliant. What is life like for Gold Leader when he’s not in the cockpit? What drives someone to risk it all against a tyrannical Empire when they can’t call upon a magical energy field? With rumors of Ryan Gosling potentially bringing his signature Han Solo-esque charm to a lead role, this is the kind of fresh, exciting energy the franchise desperately needs.
James Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” Movie: Mangold is one of the best directors working today, responsible for masterpieces like Logan and Ford v Ferrari. He’s been tapped to direct a film set 25,000 years in the past, exploring the very first person to ever use the Force. A biblical epic about the birth of the Jedi and the Sith? That is a bold, galaxy-expanding idea that could redefine Star Wars lore for a new generation.
These are the visionary ideas, helmed by inspired, top-tier talent, that fans are actually excited about. But after years of broken promises, can we trust that they’ll actually happen? I want to. I really, really want to. But until the cameras are rolling and a release date is locked, it’s all just stardust and dreams.
The Andor Blueprint: A New Hope for Star Wars
So, what should Lucasfilm be doing? The answer is right in front of them. It’s called Andor.
Andor succeeded because it did three key things:
- It Hired a Visionary and Trusted Them: Tony Gilroy had a clear, five-year plan for the show. Lucasfilm let him execute it.
- It Stepped Away from the Skywalker Saga: While connected to the main story, it focused on new characters and explored the universe from a grounded, human perspective.
- It Respected Its Audience: The show wasn’t afraid to be complex, politically charged, and thematically mature. It didn’t talk down to us; it challenged us.
This is the blueprint. Forget trying to “fix” the sequels or endlessly milking the nostalgia of the original trilogy. The galaxy is vast. Give visionary creators like Shawn Levy and James Mangold the freedom to explore it. Tell new stories. Show us things we haven’t seen before.
The best episode of The Mandalorian wasn’t one with a big Jedi reveal; it was “The Believer,” the Bill Burr episode. Why? Because it had gravity. It was about something. The tense conversation in the Imperial mess hall about the moral cost of war was more compelling than 90% of the “pew pew” laser fights. That’s the kind of weighty, meaningful territory Star Wars can and should explore on the big screen.
Where Do We Go From Here, Galaxy Far, Far Away?
The current situation is undeniably weird. Our next movie is a TV show extension. The sequel to the sequels is on hold. And our two most exciting prospects feel like they could be cancelled at any moment. With reports suggesting that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy may be transitioning into a more hands-off producer role, the future feels even more uncertain. Perhaps they’re shelving the Rey movie simply to let the next leader decide its fate.
As fans, we’re left in a state of hopeful pessimism. We’re desperate for a great Star Wars movie, but we’ve been burned too many times to get our hopes up. The ingredients are there. The talent is available. The universe is rich with potential.
Lucasfilm just needs to have the courage to put the Skywalker Saga on a shelf for a while, learn the right lessons from Andor, and actually let the incredible filmmakers they’ve hired make the movies they were hired to make. Until then, we’ll be waiting, hoping the next announcement is one that actually sticks.
But what do you think? Are you relieved the Rey movie is on hold? Are you dying to see Shawn Levy’s “Starfighter” movie or James Mangold’s Jedi origin story? Do you think any of these will actually make it to theaters? Jump down into the comments section below and let us know your thoughts