There are some rumors spreading online that LucasFilm’s Rey movie, potentially titled “New Jedi Order,” is going to be shooting in September. I hate to be the bearer of bad news to Star Wars fans, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.
If only I could tell you what I’ve been hearing when it comes to the behind-the-scenes drama with this project. I swore not to say anything, and it’s killing me to not write about it, but I’m fairly certain some of it will eventually come out.
What I will say is that Steven Knight has been trying to crack the script now for well over a year. A final draft still hasn’t been submitted to LucasFilm. Knight, who is about to shoot his “Peaky Blinders” movie, has written a total of four drafts, with LucasFilm’s Kathleen Kennedy continuously giving him notes on how to improve the story.
These issues with Knight come only two years after development on the film started, and various drafts had circulated, with different writers, including Damon Lindelof (“Watchmen”) and Justin Brit-Gibson taking a crack at it, before both eventually exiting the project due to creative differences.
There’s also an another issue: Disney might be second-guessing the entire nature of the project. Will they or won’t they allow this film to move forward? Do we really need another Rey movie? Plot details have been kept fairly hush-hush, but based on what I’ve heard, the film would focus on Rey’s tutelage at an Academy of up-and-coming Jedis — part of Rey’s attempt to build a new Jedi order.
Disney/LucasFilm hired a documentary filmmaker (Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy) to direct the Rey movie, and she hasn’t been shy in her insistence that when she hopped onboard the project her goal, and Disney’s, was to have a female character “shape” the future of the Star Wars franchise.
Hasn’t a female character already shaped the franchise? Rey was the clear lead in the last trilogy, with mixed results, and for some reason, they’ve decided to go back to her for this next set of films. You’d think that after the mixed response of that trilogy, Disney would maybe want to retire the Rey character.
Regardless, it’s quite clear that this won’t be the next Star Wars movie over at Disney. In case you’ve lost count, there are now seven ‘Star Wars’ films in development, from directors Obaid-Chimoy, James Mangold, Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, Donald Glover, Shawn Levy and Patty Jenkins. Which comes first? Most likely Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” set to shoot this year.
To say it blew the roof off the place would be an understatement. I don't think I've ever seen a Toronto audience — any festival audience — embrace a movie the way they did last night.