Rumor: Shawn Levy’s Star Wars Movie To Feature Appearance From Rey, Director Being Looked At To Take Over Heroine’s Solo Film If Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Exits

Rey readies herself for a fight on Peach Momoko's variant cover to Star Wars Adventures Vol. 1 (2020), IDW Publishing
Rey readies herself for a fight on Peach Momoko's variant cover to Star Wars Adventures Vol. 1 (2020), IDW Publishing

In a twisting-and-turning whisper which, if true, would only lend further credence to the idea that Disney truly has absolutely no idea what they’re doing when it comes to their shepherding of the now-hollowed-out franchise, a new rumor suggests that in light of his interest in the character, not only will Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars film feature the character of Rey in some capacity, but is also being considered as the next-in-line director for the heroine’s upcoming solo film should the currently attached Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy exit the project before its completion.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) grips her signature quarterstaff on the movie photo variant cover to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Adaptation Vol. 1 #2 (2016), Marvel Comics
Rey (Daisy Ridley) grips her signature quarterstaff on the movie photo variant cover to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Adaptation Vol. 1 #2 (2016), Marvel Comics

RELATED: New ‘Star Wars’ Rumor Claims Rey Film Delayed “Indefinitely” – But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up

That was a bit of a mouthful, so it’s perhaps best to let this rumor’s original scooper, veteran Hollywood reporter and the eponymous founder of The InSneider entertainment news outlet Jeff Sneider, elaborate on its exact, confusing details.

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Speaking to the topic on the January 18th episode of his and film critic John Rocha’s The Hot Mic podcast amidst a discussion of Lucasfilm’s purported plans for Rey’s Obaid-Chinoy-helmed solo outing, Sneider informed his co-host, “Shawn Levy we know is developing his own Star Wars project, although no one really knows what that is. I’m told that that project does have an element of – I don’t know if she’s front and center in it – but Rey is a character in his movie.”

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

Rey (Daisy Ridley) clashes with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Disney
Rey (Daisy Ridley) clashes with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Disney

Turning to explain just why he brought up this news in relation to Obaid-Chinoy’s film, Sneider then asserted, “Yes, Sharmeen is still on board, but you know how Lucasfilm goes through directors quickly.”

“This hire has been questioned as she doesn’t have a ton of experience, so if it does for whatever reason go south and she quits, or was fired, or whatever, for whatever she exits the project, depending on scheduling – because again Shawn Levy is one of the busiest people in Hollywood, it took me like three minutes to just scroll down on his f—ing IMDB with all the projects he has in development because he’s a producer as well – 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 Shawn Levy’s movie could be folded into Sharmeen’s movie.”

Rey confronts her past on Mike Del Mundo's cover to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Adaptation Vol. 1 #4 (2016), Marvel Comics
Rey confronts her past on Mike Del Mundo’s cover to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Adaptation Vol. 1 #4 (2016), Marvel Comics

To this end, he further noted that “[Levy] is clearly interested in Rey and that stuff, so if the Rey movie suddenly needs a director, depending on scheduling, he may be the guy they turn to since they’re already in business with him. And he is going to be wrapping up Deadpool 3 relatively soon.”

Offering one final clarification to his scoop before changing topics, Sneider explicitly affirmed, “I’m not saying Shawn Levy’s movie is a Rey movie, I’m saying it involves Rey.”

Rey (Daisy Ridley) takes up the Skywalker name in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Disney
Rey (Daisy Ridley) takes up the Skywalker name in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Disney

Interestingly, it should be noted that this mention of a possible Rey appearance in Levy’s film is the first detail, rumor or otherwise, to be raised in relation to its actual plot, as like with his work on Deadpool 3, the director is currently keeping an extra-tight lid on whatever he may be cooking in a galaxy far, far away.

That said, in light of this lack of concrete information regarding Lucasfilm’s exact plans for either Obaid-Chinoy’s film or Levy’s, whether or not this rumor is either true, false, or somewhere in the middle ultimately remains to be seen.

Rey shows off her lightsaber skills on Marguerite Sauvage's Women's History Month variant to Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 3 #44 "Rise of the Mar Corps!" (2020), Marvel Comics
Rey shows off her lightsaber skills on Marguerite Sauvage’s Women’s History Month variant to Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 3 #44 “Rise of the Mar Corps!” (2020), Marvel Comics

At current, the Obaid-Chinoy directed tale of Rey’s quest to rebuild the Jedi Order is slated to rise into theaters sometime in December 2025.

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