Back in June, there were some rumors spreading that Lucasfilm’s Rey movie, potentially titled “New Jedi Order,” was going to be shooting in September. I shot down those rumors by simply saying NO CHANCE. Here’s what I had written …
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.
Daniel Richtman is now reporting what I’ve been saying all along. Forget about it. The film has a lot “more work to be done” and is now “on hold” over at Lucasfilm. The earliest it would shoot is in 2025 (and I’m pretty skeptical about that). In fact, I think the entire project will just get scrapped.
What I can 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 exited 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. I keep hearing Obaid-Chinoy’s future at Lucasfilm is in doubt as well.
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’ projects 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,” which is already in production and set to release in May 2026.
The ‘Smile’ franchise has a new director. David Bruckner, who made “The Night House” and the 2022 “Hellraiser” reboot, has been hired to direct “Smile 3” for Paramount.