Star Wars Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Says Rey Is The Key To The Franchise’s Future: “At The Heart Of It, For Me, Is Rey Skywalker”
In the opinion of soon-to-be franchise director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the character of Rey is the key to the future survival of the entire Star Wars franchise.
The director, who is currently attached to helm the heroine’s upcoming solo film, offered her take on the subject while speaking to her future entry in a galaxy far, far away with SiriusXM’s Jessica Shaw for the broadcaster’s Stars interview series.
Pressed by her host for her current feelings towards directing the next major entry the embattled franchise, Obaid-Chinoy asserted, “Sometimes you walk in the footsteps of people and giants who’ve created worlds, and in the case of Star Wars, George Lucas’ world and the filmmakers who have walked in his footsteps have set this world that they want young viewers to sort of walk into and have an understanding of the world.”
“And at the heart of it, for me, is Rey Skywalker, is Daisy Ridley, and her story, and taking her on an adventure to a Jedi academy,” she continued, “and sort of creating a world that that is a natural dovetail to the story that we’ve seen her go through the last three [film] episodes. And working with Lucasfilm and Kathleen Kennedy and the team over there in breathing life into characters that everyone loves and has fallen in love with, and finding new characters that the next generation of moviegoers will fall in love with.”
To this end, the director then revealed that throughout the film’s creative process, she has regularly been in touch with a ‘Who’s Who’ of Star Wars creative alumni – some good, some the worst.
“I’ve had conversations with J.J. Abrams, I’ve had conversations with George Lucas, and then of course Dave Filoni, who’s a big part of the Star Wars universe now,” revealed Obaid-Chinoy. “We speak very often, and Kathy Kennedy, and Carrie Beck, and Simon Emanuel. I mean, I think the team is really taking time to make sure that we do justice to telling the story of [Rey] and, you know, I think that she stands for something. We’ve seen this wonderful journey that she went on in Episode Seven, Eight and Nine, and now it’s like, ‘On to the next adventure!’ and how do we create a world and the adventure that we take her on.”
At current, the only officially confirmed detail regarding the upcoming Rey solo film, outside of both Obaid-Chinoy and Ridley’s attachment, is that its plot will purportedly focus on the heroine’s attempt to build a new Jedi Order.
However, per Obaid-Chinoy’s own words, it appears the film will also be used as a vehicle for a very female-specific story.
Speaking with CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout for the network’s 2023 New Year’s Eve broadcast, the director beamed to the show’s host, “I’m very thrilled about the project because I think what we are about to create is something very special. And we’re in 2024 now, and I think it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape the story in a galaxy far, far away.”
Further, in a separate interview given to Variety in June 2024, Obaid-Chinoy affirmed, “The story that interests me most is in Rey’s journey as a female Jedi. That’s how I can best bring my experiences to it.”
As of writing, the Rey solo film has yet to receive an official release date.
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