Star Wars: New Jedi Order was first announced almost two years ago, and now, The Hollywood Reporter has reported that the project has a new screenwriter. George Nolfi, who is best known for writing the screenplays for The Bourne Ultimatum and Ocean’s 12, has been tapped to write the project, which is expected to be a film focused on Daisy Ridley’s Rey from the sequel trilogy.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a documentary director, is set to make her narrative debut on the project, which is set 15 years after the events of the sequel trilogy and focuses on Rey as she trains a new cohort of young Jedi. Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson were the project’s initial writers, but that was before Obaid-Chinoy came on board. When Ridley was confirmed to be returning for the film, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight was brought in to take a pass at the script.
The delays in getting to a final script have meant that the movie itself has also been delayed. The Mandalorian and Grogu is currently slated for a May 2026 release, and the next Star Wars movie to shoot will now be Shawn Levy’s project, which reporting suggests may star Ryan Gosling.
If Nolfi ultimately pens the final script for this film, it will be a departure from the thrillers that he has spent most of his career writing. Given the revolving door of writers on the project, though, it seems like Disney is working hard to make sure the final script is one worth moving forward with.
