Daisy Ridley’s brand-new update about Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order,suggests that DisneyStar Warsmay finally be correcting one major issue that has plaguedStar Warsmovies and TV showsfor years.New Jedi Orderis among the most highly anticipated ofStar Wars’upcoming movies, butdetails aboutNew Jedi Orderhave been slow to come out. In fact,until recently, Ridley herself hadn’t seen a script, leading to speculation that the movie was either canceled or delayed.
Rey Skywalker actressDaisy Ridley spoke aboutNew Jedi Order’sdelaysin a recent interview, explaining that the slower process may actually be a good thing. Ridley said:
“People have talked about it a lot that the release date often affects films and how quickly things go into production…So,the freedom to make sure that this script is the best way to tell this story is wonderful, and I don’t think any fans would want it to be rushed. The wait will be worth it. I know what George is working on, and he is a phenomenal writer. So, I’m really looking forward to reading it, and yes, it’s all worthwhile.”
Not only is this a promising update onNew Jedi Order, but also, this comment from Daisy Ridley suggests thatStar Warsmay finally be fixing a problem that has been recurring for years—most notably in the sequel trilogy.
Daisy Ridley Is (Unconsciously) Echoing Bob Iger Himself
Ridley’s Point About Rushing New Jedi Order Is Consistent With Iger’s Autobiography
However unwittingly,Daisy Ridley’s comments about the benefits ofNew Jedi Ordertaking time actually echo sentiments shared by Disney CEO Bob Iger. In his autobiography,The Ride of a Lifetime, Iger wrote:
“One of the biggest mistakes that I’ve seen film studios make is getting locked into a release date and then letting that influence creative decisions, often rushing movies into production before they’re ready. I’ve tried hard not to give in to calendar pressures. It’s better to give up a release date and keep working to make a better movie, and we’ve always tried to put quality before everything else, even if it means taking a short-term hit to our bottom line.”
Ironically, Bob Iger specifically said this in theStar Warschapter of his book, yet that mentality hasn’t been showcased by DisneyStar Warsall that often, especially when it comes to the sequel trilogy movies.
Purchase The Ride of a Lifetime on Amazon
It seems both Ridley and Iger are well aware of the major pitfalls that can come with a release date taking priority. Both perspectives are also correct. When maintaining a release date is treated as the most important thing, hasty decisions can completely undermine the quality of a movie. This is arguably especially true when it comes to the story, as a brilliant script of course takes time. Despite the accuracy of the statement, though,how often has Bob Iger really taken his own advice, particularly when it comes toStar Wars?
When maintaining a release date is treated as the most important thing, hasty decisions can completely undermine the quality of a movie.
Star Wars Never Practiced What Bob Iger Preached
The Rise Of Skywalker Is Case In Point
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkeris perhaps the single best example of Bob Iger not following his own advice regarding release dates.The Rise of Skywalkercontinues to be viewed as one ofStar Wars’worst movies, and much of that is due to the at times nonsensical storylines in the movie. The most obvious issue is Palpatine’s return, which is minimally explained inThe Rise of Skywalkerand still hasn’t been adequately explained to date, even with shows likeStar Wars: The Bad Batchproviding more context.
10 Sequel Trilogy Problems That Frustrated Me During My Skywalker Saga Marathon
I finally had a chance to marathon the entire Skywalker Saga, and while it was insanely fun, certain sequel trilogy problems were hard to ignore.
An equally significant issue inThe Rise of Skywalkeris the handling of Leia Organa’s character, especially because the movie was released on the heels of the tragic real-life passing of beloved actress Carrie Fisher.Rather than taking a beat and figuring out how to forge a path forward given Leia’s importance to the story,The Rise of Skywalkerprioritized its release date. This led to some ethically ambiguous (at best) choices regarding using Fisher’s previously filmed footage and some tricks of the trade to bring Leia back to the screen after Fisher’s death.
An equally significant issue inThe Rise of Skywalkeris the handling of Leia Organa’s character.
In addition to this being morally questionable, the strategies simply didn’t work. Leia’s appearances felt morbid, and her story arc made very little sense and felt like a scramble to still craft a narrative with the character in spite of the actress' absence. The most disappointing aspect of this decision is arguably thataudiences would have understood and even appreciated the movie’s release date being pushed back to make sure the treatment of Leia was respectful and the story was still high quality.
Instead,Star Warspushed ahead, and it did Leia/Fisher a disservice and led to a story that was a bit of a mess. The same has been true of other recentStar Warsmovies, even if the issues are less glaring.Solo: A Star Wars Storyis a great example, as that movie had plenty of potential but in the end failed to pull it off.
Daisy Ridley’s New Star Wars Movie May Finally Break This Trend
Progress Has Been Slow, But That May Be Good News For Audiences
It’s admittedly been a bit frustrating that many ofStar Wars’upcoming projects, especially the movies, have been shrouded in so much mystery.Star Warshas always held its cards close to the vest, but lately, it’s felt unclear which projects are even truly in the works.New Jedi Orderhas certainly been on this list, which is clear enough in the rumors that the movie has been canceled.
Upcoming Star Wars Shows: Story, Casts & Everything We Know
Several exciting Star Wars TV shows are set to be released on Disney+ in the coming years from the realm of both live-action and animation.
Clearly,New Jedi Orderisn’t canceled, and, hopefully, Ridley is correct that the slower process is for the best. The logic certainly makes sense, andit’s especially important thatNew Jedi Ordergets this right.The Rise of Skywalkerremains intensely criticized within the fanbase, and plenty is riding onNew Jedi Orderbeing able to win audiences over.
There will always be those who dislike the sequels because they were so divisive (and for a host of other reasons). Even so,New Jedi Orderhas a real chance to change some viewers' opinions of Rey and of DisneyStar Warsmovies. Hopefully, based on Daisy Ridley’s comments aboutStar Wars: New Jedi Order,Star Warsis about to turn a new leaf when it comes to prioritizing the story and a movie’s quality over the release date.
