Star Wars Director On Why She's "Drowning Out" Fandom Opinions Until After The Film Is Done

At Star Wars Celebration 2023, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was announced as the director of the upcoming sequel movie featuring Daisy Ridley's Rey as a Jedi Master 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker. Although the film is still years away from coming to theaters, it's been the subject of a lot discussions online, and not all of them have been civil. However, Obaid-Chinoy has already decided to focus on the movie itself rather than get drawn into the chatter about it.

"The greatest thing about Star Wars is that everyone has a personal connection to it," said Obaid-Chinoy during an interview with Variety. "Everyone is passionate about it. And throughout the fandom, people have clear ideas about who should direct or what the stories should be about. I'm just drowning out those voices until I'm done. As a storyteller, I'm focused on drawing new moviegoers into the cinema, and bringing a sense of nostalgia that will appeal to older fans of the series."

Obaid-Chinoy declined to share any details about the script. However, she did explain the aspect of the story that attracted her to the project in the first place.

"The story that interests me most is in Rey's journey as a female Jedi," said Obaid-Chinoy. "That's how I can best bring my experiences to it."

So far, Ridley is the only cast member from the Star Wars sequels who is confirmed to appear in the film. Regardless, Ridley has shared her desire to reunite with John Boyega's Finn in the movie.

Lucasfilm hasn't set a date or a title for Rey's movie.