Daisy Ridley admits that Star Wars movies were "divisive," is excited to return as Rey

The Star Wars sequel trilogy came out between 2015 and 2019, introducing fans to a new set of characters played by the likes Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley. Now, Ridley is returning for a new movie that will follow up with her Jedi character Rey after the end of The Rise of Skywalker. Production is revving up, but Ridley is only just getting ready to read a script. She told Empire that she's "curious about it all."

Even if she doesn't know all the plot details yet, Ridley is excited to return to the character of Rey with a new outlook. “I suppose I feel more like I’m owning it. I suppose I owned it the first time. Basically, I’m an adult now,” she said. “I certainly did not feel like an adult at the time. Obviously, personally, things have changed, and professionally, I’ve had lots of other experiences, and so I definitely feel like it’s a different thing this time...There’s just a lot of joy with me and these films. Honestly, if I wasn’t excited, I wouldn’t have done it. It feels like a great thing to be a part of.”

All three of the movies in the Star Wars sequel trilogy were big hits, but online, sometimes that fact felt obscured by fan backlash. Some people didn't like the turns of the plot in the second movie, The Last Jedi. Then came The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, which tried to pivot once again. That didn't go over universally well, either.

But Ridley — who at 31 is about a decade older than she was when she started making 2015's The Force Awakens — doesn't seem phased by that, or at least is willing to look past it. It was an easy decision for her to say yes to the offer. “Why wouldn’t I [do it]? Yes, they have been divisive, but also they bring a lot of love and joy to a lot of people."

Now it's all about finding where Rey is several years later. "It feels pretty amazing to be able to continue a character – like, can I even remember how to play her? It’s an interesting challenge as an actor to come back to something and try to figure out what’s changed for me and what’s changed for her."

There's no release date set for the Return of Rey movie as of yet (feel free to use that as the title, Disney). Sooner or later, we'll be flooded with new Star Wars movies. For example...

Andor writer signs on to James Mangold's new Star Wars movie

James Mangold, a director known for movies like Logan and, more recently, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, has signed on to make a new Star Wars movie called Dawn of the Jedi. This movie would be set thousands of years before the events of the Skywalker trilogy and explore the origins of the Jedi order. Now, The Hollywood Reporter has it that writer Beau Willimon has signed on to co-write the script.

Willimon has worked on Star Wars: Andor, which many fans think is the best Star Wars show yet produced. He wrote the episodes in Cassian Andor's prison arc, which includes the banger escape scene above.

We don't have a release date for this movie, either, but after several years without a new Star Wars movie in theaters, Disney is getting a move on. Here's hoping it's heading somewhere worth going.

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