After offering advice to future female actors of the iconic property, Daisy Ridley says she won’t rule out a potential Star Wars franchise return. Ridley’s time in the Lucasfilm franchise ran during the Star Wars sequel trilogy, in which she starred as Rey, the Force-sensitive new protagonist who’d face off against everyone from Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren to Ian McDiarmid’s Emperor Palpatine, not only a surprise reveal for his survival, but also his family lineage with Ridley’s character. Following 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, also dubbed as the conclusion to The Skywalker Saga, the future of the sequel trilogy’s characters has been left up in the air, though one star may be ready to come back.
In a recent interview with IMDb to discuss the Sundance premiere of her new film, Sometimes I Think About Dying, Daisy Ridley was asked her thoughts on a potential Star Wars franchise return.
The Rey actor confirmed she would be open to the possibility of returning to a galaxy far, far away, jokingly stating she is “looking for employment” while also being willing to have discussions with Lucasfilm. See what Ridley said in the video above and quotes below:
I mean, I’m open to a phone call. I’m looking for employment!
Where Rey Could Return In Star Wars
Questions have swirled regarding Ridley’s potential Star Wars franchise return since The Rise of Skywalker saw Rey survive her fight with Palpatine and go off to start her own Jedi Order. Though she didn’t reprise her role in it, The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special did show her first steps in this journey by beginning to train Finn, no longer voiced by John Boyega, in the Jedi ways, a plot point teased in The Skywalker Saga’s conclusion by the character frequently hinting at having some kind of secret for Rey. Given all Star Wars projects produced for the screen are now considered to be part of the main canon, the decision to continue her story at all does indicate an interest from Lucasfilm to bring Ridley back as Rey in some capacity in the future.
The curiosity then becomes where Rey could make her Star Wars franchise return, especially given the various Disney+ shows have primarily been set in the years between Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope. However, while the small screen continues to explore territory well before her time, the various plans for the franchise’s big-screen return seem rife for her to make her to appear again. Thor vet Taika Waititi is developing a Star Wars film with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige is producing a new movie with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ Michael Waldron writing, Watchmen alum Damon Lindelof penning a script for Ms. Marvel director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Stranger Things‘ Shawn Levy directing a feature-length project.
While Waititi and Feige have indicated not wanting to rely on legacy characters for their Star Wars projects, it doesn’t entirely rule out a possible supporting appearance from Ridley’s Rey in either film. Additionally, while the Disney+ world seems focused on exploring The New and High Republic eras, it would be interesting to see a post-First Order universe explored and what Rey’s Jedi Order could look like. Between Ridley’s newest comments, and recent reunion with Lucasfilm sparking return speculation, one can hope the two come together for at least one future Star Wars project in the future.
Source: IMDb