Daisy Ridley might be trading in lightsabers for swords.
Since her breakout as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Ridley has been at the center of Lucasfilm’s plans for the galaxy-spanning franchise. But as the studio continues to rearrange its release calendar, she could be heading toward a very different kind of Disney adventure.
Star Wars’ big-screen future remains complicated. At Star Wars Celebration Europe in April 2023, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy introduced three new films by James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Shawn Levy and Taika Waititi’s films stayed in the pipeline, and Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron unexpectedly re-emerged.
Mangold will tell the earliest history of the Force, while Filoni is set to unite storylines from The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and Skeleton Crew.
Then came another pivot: Jon Favreau is officially directing The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), a theatrical adventure continuing Din Djarin and Grogu’s journey. Reports suggest this will act as The Mandalorian’s finale, replacing the long-rumored fourth season.
That shift affected Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey movie, set after Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019) with Daisy Ridley’s Jedi rebuilding the Order. The project has been linked to titles like New Jedi Order and A New Beginning, though nothing has been confirmed.
Lucasfilm added even more intrigue in November 2024 with the news that Simon Kinberg would write and produce a new Star Wars trilogy. Kinberg, known for The Martian (2015) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019), was tasked with steering the saga in a bold direction.
“The new story is not meant to be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga, the name of the overall arc of the popular and pop culture-dominating Star Wars movies known as Episodes 1 through 9,” The Hollywood Reporter explained.
“The intent here is to have brand new characters and a new story, and not have it be a continuation, sources tell [THR]. (Although that does not mean that some characters could not or would not pop up.)”
THR also pointed out: “But Rey, the scavenger-turned-Jedi played by Daisy Ridley in the last three episode movies, is key to the franchise’s next turn. That potentially puts Kinberg’s trilogy story development, as early in its conceptual stages as it may be, on a collision course with the Rey standalone movie that is actively in the works with director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.”
One insider went further: “[Rey] is the most valuable cinematic asset, in some ways maybe the only one, Star Wars has right now.” George Nolfi was previously attached as writer, though recent shake-ups have clouded the film’s path forward.
Now, Disney has shifted focus toward Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), with the Rey project reportedly paused. That development could free Ridley to step into another Disney adventure role.
This time, the role wouldn’t be in Star Wars—or Indiana Jones—but in the Disney-acquired Delilah Dirk series.
“According to Daniel Richtman, Ridley is in negotiations to star in an adaptation of Tony Cliff's 2013 graphic novel, ‘Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant.' Disney has held the right to this property since 2016, but there's been no movement on the project since,” Comic Book Movie wrote.
“Ridley's character, Delilah, is said to be ‘trained in 47 sword fighting techniques' and is described as ‘a female Indiana Jones,' the outlet continued. “Roy Lee, Mark Mower, and Justin Giritlian were attached as producers back in 2016, but we're not sure if they are still involved.”
Tony Cliff’s graphic novels introduce readers to Delilah Dirk, a daring 19th-century adventurer who teams up with Selim, a Turkish lieutenant swept along on her high-stakes escapades.
Across books like “Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant,” “The King’s Shilling,” and “The Pillars of Hercules,” readers follow sword fights, pirate battles, and even airborne escapades. The series earned Eisner recognition, became a New York Times bestseller, and has been celebrated for its breezy storytelling and bold visuals.
Disney first revealed plans to adapt the property in 2016, describing the live-action film as a female-led adventure in the Indiana Jones mold. The project stalled in development, but Ridley’s potential casting could signal a long-awaited revival.
If negotiations close, Ridley may once again headline a new Disney property—just not the one many fans were expecting.
