The planned Damon Lindelof Star Wars movie was recently scrapped. Thanks to a new report from The Hot Mic Podcast co-host and Above the Line’s Jeff Sneider, more information on the film has come to light, revealing that it was to star a much older Rey Skywalker, that wouldn’t be played by Daisy Ridley.
During the latest episode of The Hot Mic Podcast, Sneider mentioned that Lindelof’s original plan for the film was to have it set 60 years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. This movie would have seen a much older Rey Skywalker attempting to restore the Jedi Order by teaching two young apprentices.
Sneider also mentioned Helen Mirren as a comparison for someone who might be eyed for the role of the older Rey Skywalker.
“It was supposed to be an older Rey training two Jedi,” said Sneider. “A man and a woman, who I think both would’ve been of color. Now, they didn’t go out to this actress, this was not offered, but she was the comp. When they put together casting lists, it’s like ‘This is ideally who we want.’ It doesn’t necessarily mean that the prototype person is the person they end up casting. But basically, older Rey, they were thinking of Helen Mirren.”
The Hot Mic co-host John Rocha then mentioned that the film would have seen Rey restoring the Jedi Order but that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy wanted to go younger, leading to Lindelof and co-writer Justin Britt-Gibson to exit the project.
Recently, Lindelof has opened up about the project, telling Esquire in an episode of Explain This that he was “asked to leave” the project but would be willing to try again in the future.
“I was in more than talks to join the Star Wars universe,” Lindelof said. “I joined the Star Wars universe and was asked to leave… Will I get back in line outside the club and try to get back in again? Absolutely. If at first, you don’t succeed, try and try again, or again again try, as Yoda would say.”
