Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's Rey Movie Reportedly Put On Hold By Lucasfilm

Jun 20, 2025

A new rumor alleges that Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey movie starring Daisy Ridley has been put on hold by Lucasfilm.

This latest rumor comes from scooper Daniel Richtman. He claims, “The Rey movie is on hold once again, as both the Shawn Levy and James Mangold Star Wars films are moving forward first. The project is not canceled — just temporarily on hold."

This is not surprising given the fact that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy gave a state of Star Wars interview back in February and made no mention of the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy film.

Instead, Kennedy was promoting a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg, “We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously. That has gone exceptionally well, and he’s literally going to script as we speak. We’ll see something probably around June. … We’re really excited about where that’s headed.”

Additionally, Kennedy and Lucasfilm are moving forward with Shawn Levy’s Starfighter film starring Ryan Gosling that takes place five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

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Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s film was announced back in 2023 with a press revealing it is “set 15 years after the last events of the Skywalker Saga. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy will tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down; the director then delighted fans by welcoming Daisy Ridley to stage, confirming she will be reprising her beloved role as Rey in the upcoming movie.”

Kennedy would later inform IGN, “We’re 15 years out from Rise of Skywalker. So we’re kind of post-war, post-First Order and the Jedi are in disarray. And there’s a lot of discussion around who are the Jedi, what are they doing, what’s the state of the galaxy? And she’s attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order based on the books, based on what she promised Luke.”

Kennedy concluded, “So that’s where we’re going.”

The film has already gone through a number of screenwriters with George Nolfi the latest attached to it.

Actress Daisy Ridley, who is attached to the film, told ComicBook.com in February, “I have not read the latest script, but I know what’s happening, and I know the story, and I think what feels really good is that George is a phenomenal writer.”

“I think we’re making sure that this story is the best way, this script is the best way to tell the story, and I think it will be worthwhile. for everyone watching it, and I am very excited, yeah,” she added.

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Furthermore, it was previously speculated that Shawn Levy’s film might act as a replacement to Chinoy’s. Jeff Sneider shared back in January 2024, “I’m told that [Shawn Levy’s] project does have an element — I don’t know if Rey is front and center in it — but Rey is a character in Shawn Levy’s movie.”

He elaborated, “Now, is it Daisy Ridley’s Rey or an older Rey? We heard those rumors back in the day maybe about Helen Mirren being positioned as an older Rey. So I don’t know in Shawn Levy’s movie if a) Rey is the lead character or b) if Rey is Daisy Ridley age or she could be someone in her 40s or 50s or someone who’s 70 or 80 like Helen Mirren, I don’t know.”

Sneider then said, “Yes, Sharmeen is still on board, but you know how Lucasfilm goes through directors quickly. This hire has been questioned. She doesn’t have a ton of experience. So if it does for whatever reason go sour and she either quits, or is fired, or whatever. For whatever reason she exits the project depending on scheduling because again Shawn Levy is one of the busiest people in Hollywood … It’s my understanding that Shawn Levy could either slip in to direct that movie or Shawn Levy’s movie becomes the next movie or maybe Shawn Levy’s movie could be folded in to Sharmeen’s movie, I don’t know.”

“But he’s clearly interested in exploring Rey and that stuff and so if the Rey movie suddenly needs a director he may be the guy they turn to since they’re already in business with him,” Sneider added.