Writer George Nolfi Joins Rey Skywalker ‘Star Wars’ Film

 

Daisy Ridley’s return as Rey Skywalker is one step closer to becoming a reality, with Ocean’s 12 and The Bourne Ultimatum writer George Nolfi joining the film set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, according to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision.

The unnamed Star Wars standalone film will be helmed by documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and will feature Rey – who adopted the Skywalker surname at the conclusion of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.

Nolfi’s addition comes after a string of writers joined and left the project, including Damon Lindelof, Justin Britt-Gibson and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. It has yet to be revealed when production will officially begin.

As was the case with the Prequel Trilogy 20 years ago, conversation around the Star Wars sequels is decidedly mixed and at times contentious, with some pockets of the fandom calling for Disney to de-canonize them entirely. Speaking for myself, I appreciate The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi more and more as time goes on. The Rise of Skywalker, though, feels like a lot of missed opportunities and compromises culled from Reddit forums, but it’s still a mostly fun watch. I’m curious to see where Rey’s story goes from there, and which other Sequel Trilogy characters could be joining her. My fingers are crossed for Babu Frik.

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SUBLIME! Ryan Gosling Could Star in Shawn Levy’s Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Film

 His job was beach. Now, it’s space.

Ryan Gosling, Barbie’s scene-stealing Ken and the immensely likeable star of such films as The Notebook, The Big Short, Drive, Blade Runner 2049 and La La Land, is in talks to star in Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Coming off the $1.3 billion success of Deadpool & Wolverine, Levy will helm a feature set in that galaxy far, far away that will reportedly have no connection to the Skywalker Saga. The as-yet-unnamed film has been in development for two years and will go into production this year, being the next in an increasingly long list of potential Star Wars films that have yet to (kyber) crystallize. It would follow the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is set to hit theaters in May 2026.

I’m always on board for more Star Wars, and Gosling is always fun to watch, but it’s going to be a real heartbreaker if this never sees the light of day. After all, where’s the Rey movie, the James Mangold “first Jedi” project, the rumored Episodes X-XII, and all the other films that have been announced/teased for the past 5 years? When it comes to Star Wars at the movies, I can only quote Yoda: “Impossible to see, the future is.”

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Got it Where it Counts: ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ Season 1 Reaction

 

Star Wars fans are a hyperbolic bunch. Whenever a new project debuts – whether it’s a theatrical film or a streaming series – it’s either the best thing to happen to the franchise in years or it’s the catastrophic death knell for that galaxy far, far away. Admittedly, my reactions tend to be more positive when it comes to Disney’s near-constant output of Star Wars content. You can call me a shill if you must (it wouldn’t be the first time), but I was a kid during the “Dark Times” of the early-mid ‘90s when all we had were the original three films on well-worn VHS tapes, a handful of PC games and a stack of novels and comics of varying quality to satisfy our fervor for the Force. I’m OK with being spoiled with so many Star Wars stories these days, even if they don’t all hit the figurative two-meter thermal exhaust port.

But where does that leave Skeleton Crew, the eight-episode Disney+ pirate yarn featuring a Force-sensitive and swarthy Jude Law, a group of plucky young adventurers and a host of furry, feathery and sometimes squishy alien creatures? In short, it’s damn good.

 Skeleton Crew is a love letter to many things, namely 1980s Steven Spielberg coming-of-age stories, practical visual effects, swashbuckling adventure films and, yes, childhood. It all blends together to form the most accessible Star Wars streaming series since The Mandalorian’s debut season in 2019, devoid of required reading/viewing as long as you’re familiar with the basics of Star Wars (and who isn’t?). As such, I’ve been excitedly recommending this show to just about everyone, not only those who know the difference between a Mon Calamari and a Quarren.

Starring Jude Law as the mysterious Jod Na Nawood and a quartet of kid actors – Ravi Cabot-Conyers as the starry-eyed Wim, Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the headstrong Fern, Kyriana Kratter as the analytical KB and Robert Timothy Smith as the bashful blue alien Neel – Skeleton Crew features stronger performances than you might expect from what many perceive as a “kids’ show.” Joining the flesh-and-blood cast is the tough-as-nails droid SM-33 voiced by Nick Frost, who brings a lot of heart and humor to a broken-down bot with a rat living in its skull.

Series creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford crafted this season alongside a murders’ row of directors, including Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once) and the always game Bryce Dallas Howard, who really needs to be directing Star Wars movies as soon as possible. It all comes to a close in satisfying fashion in this week’s finale, but there’s more adventure to be had with these characters if the viewership demands it. After The Acolyte ended after just one season, I’m not getting my hopes up too high but, as has always been the case with me and Star Wars, I’m choosing to look on the Light Side.