New Hope for Rey’s Star Wars Odyssey: Fourth Writer Joins the Fray

Rey-Focused Star Wars Movie Gets Fourth New Writer
In a latest development, Lucasfilm has hired yet another screenwriter to work on the upcoming Star Wars sequel, New Jedi Order. This news comes after the project was delayed and underwent several script rewrites.
The still-in-development sci-fi sequel is set to bring back Daisy Ridley as Rey, with the story expected to take place about 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. According to reports, Rey will be training a new generation of young Jedi.
George Nolfi Takes the Reins
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter on January 24, George Nolfi, best known for his work on Ocean’s 12 and The Bourne Ultimatum, has been hired to write the new script for New Jedi Order. This marks the fourth time the project has undergone a script rewrite, with Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson previously working on the story.
Previous Writers’ Journeys
Before the film was even announced, Lindelof and Britt-Gibson had worked on a version of the script. However, by the time Lucasfilm officially announced it at Star Wars Celebration 2023, a new writer, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, was working on the story. Knight dropped out in October 2024, and now Nolfi is taking the reins.
The Current State of New Jedi Order
Despite all the screenwriter changes, documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is still attached to direct New Jedi Order. The movie was initially set to release in December 2026, but late last year Disney delayed it and removed it from its upcoming schedule.
The Future of Star Wars
While New Jedi Order struggles to get off the ground, another Star Wars film will hit theaters next year. The Mandalorian and Grogu, which wrapped filming in December 2024, is set to release in May 2026. After that, the next Star Wars movie to start shooting will be Shawn Levy’s project, which got a boost earlier this week with rumors that Ryan Gosling is joining the cast.
The Wait for New Jedi Order
It’s likely that New Jedi Order won’t be available in our galaxy until 2027 at the earliest. And that’s assuming George Nolfi can write a screenplay that Lucasfilm likes. If not, we might see a fifth writer hired to try and get this movie’s script finished and approved. One wonders how much longer Obaid-Chinoy and Ridley will wait around.
[Image: Lucasfilm]