The Star Wars sequel trilogy wrapped up in 2019 with The Rise of Skywalker, which brought the story of characters like Kylo Ren, Finn, Poe and Rey to an end.
...only not so much, because Rey, at least, will be holding down a new Star Wars movie from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, best known for her documentary work. Once again, Rey will be played by Daisy Ridley, who recently talked to Variety about what drew her back to the Star Wars universe, and what it meant that this new movie will be directed by a woman, a first for the series. "I’m excited to do the job, but not because Sharmeen is a woman," Ridley said. "Her documentaries are amazing. Her idea for the story is cool as s**t. No spoilers, but she gave me a rundown of the entire story. If it weren’t amazing, I would have been like, 'OK, call me in five years.' But it’s worthwhile."
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's status as the first female director of Star Wars film is getting attention in part because the franchise has something of a checkered past when it comes to welcoming women into the fold. There was backlash when Daisy Ridley was first cast as Rey for the 2015 movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first Star Wars movie to feature a female lead. Actor Kelly Marie Tran received a lot of racist and sexist trolling for her role in the sequel trilogy, criticism of Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy often takes a sexist tone, and Sharmeen Obain-Chinoy has gotten her fair share of backlash after being announced as the director of this new movie. It's hard not to see a pattern.
At the same time, Ridley doesn't think we should make too much out of the narrative about sexist Star Wars fans. "I think my take is things get blown out of proportion and the interactions I've ever had with people have been nothing but wonderful and supportive," she said on NBC"s Today. "I've only ever been embraced. And I think we're going to make a great film."
Ridley herself has had unpleasant experiences online, deleting her social media accounts for years after backlashes to posts, but I can believe that she's "only ever been embraced" by Star Wars fans offline, where people tend to be more civil, or at least less willing to be awful. When we talk about cultural backlashes to media, a lot of that happens online. If you're unplugged, it becomes much easier to ignore. And it's not like online furor kept people from seeing the newer Star Wars movies; each movie Ridley appeared in made over a billion dollars.
Still, the conversation continues. Recently, female Star Wars fans went viral in response to a clip of psychologist Sadia Khan saying that women "don’t even care" about Star Wars, a statement Khan later acknowledged she made offhand without having any understanding of “the market and audience of Star Wars.” Still, that comment inspired thousands of videos where female Star Wars fans said their piece about loving the sci-fi series, so this remains a live topic.
Whatever the response to the new movie, Ridley seems well-equipped to handle it. "So much has happened for me ," she said. "I feel like a grown-up now. When I first started, I was, like, 20. I was the youngest on set. It took me the first two Star Wars films to feel worthy of being there. Now I’m in my 30s. The whole thing feels quite different. I’ve been able to work with other filmmakers, and hopefully, I’ve got better as a performer."
There's no word on when Ridley's new Star Wars film may come out. But her new dramedy Sometimes I Think About Dying drops tomorrow, January 26.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels