Daisy Ridley is returning as Rey in an upcoming Star Wars movie, which is set 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – and several key characters could return. So far, little is known about Rey’s “New Jedi Order” movie, which is directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy; Ridley herself seems excited about the plot, but she’s refusing to give any hints. She’s likewise avoiding confirming whether any of her sequel trilogy colleagues will return with her.
Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie will be set 15 years after the sequels. Given the timeline and Rey’s goal to begin a new Jedi Order, there are several key characters from throughout the Star Wars timeline who could appear. Rey has only received limited guidance from Luke Skywalker and Rey, meaning she will need all the help she can get. Here are ten characters who could return.
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10 Finn
The Star Wars sequel trilogy
It was heavily teased that John Boyega’s Finn would be a Jedi in the Star Wars sequels, if not the leading Jedi of the trilogy. Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw Boyega wielding a lightsaber, and while Rey quickly showed strong Force abilities, hope remained that he would eventually step into his powers. Instead, Finn was largely sidelined, with The Rise of Skywalker confirming he was Force-sensitive but not doing anything with the idea.
Rey’s new Jedi Order movie can right this wrong by seeing Finn as a Jedi master alongside Rey, helping her re-establish a Jedi Order. Given that this new movie will be 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, it’s conceivable that Rey would have begun by training Finn immediately after Rise of Skywalker. If that was the case, Finn would no doubt have already completed his training. Showing Finn not only as a Jedi but also as a powerful Jedi master would begin to ameliorate some of the tension over this flaw.
9 Rose Tico
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico, like Finn, had significant potential in the sequel trilogy but was ultimately sidelined. She first appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and proved herself to be a brave fighter with a clear moral compass. She also developed feelings for Finn and even saved his life, a subplot that was completely abandoned in The Rise of Skywalker.
Whether that plot point gets picked up or not (likely not), Rose deserves to have her story expanded in the new Star Wars movie. The Rise of Skywalker saw glimpses of Rose in a position of some authority in the Resistance, and that sets her up perfectly to be a major player in this era’s Republic or any structure of government being rebuilt in the wake of the fall of the New Republic. The new movie could even see Rose stepping into a Leia role, leading others as the galaxy tries to recover from the rise and fall of the First Order.
8 Poe Dameron
The Star Wars sequel trilogy
If Finn and Rose are in the movie, Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron must be there too. Poe was introduced as nearly a split between a new Han and a new Leia; he had excellent pilot skills, but he was also high in the ranks of the Resistance. This means his character could go in numerous different directions, but he should be working alongside Finn at a minimum; the friendship between the two was one of the best aspects of the sequels. Poe was also a fan favorite and key component of the sequels’ main trio, so his return would make sense.
7 Ahsoka Tano
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Now played in live-action by Rosario Dawson, Ahsoka Tano was last seen trapped on the planet Peridea at the end of the Ahsoka Disney+ TV show. That was only a few years after the events of Return of the Jedi, so many years have passed by the time of this new movie. Ahsoka’s race, the Togruta, live on average into their 90s, and Ahsoka would be somewhere around her mid-80s by the time of the film. Being Force-sensitive may also expand her life expectancy.
While Ahsoka’s voice appeared alongside those of now deceased Jedi at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, that isn’t a confirmation of her death; Lucasfilm’s Dave Filoni has hinted this isn’t necessarily the end of the story. Ahsoka could have a major influence as Rey works to build a new Jedi Order, as few remain who know the flaws of the prequel trilogy’s Order better than Ahsoka. Because Ahsoka left the Jedi Order and witnessed how their practices influenced Anakin’s fall to Darth Vader, she would be the perfect resource, not to mention that Rosario Dawson would likely be open to it.
6 Luke Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
With his last appearance in The Rise of Skywalker, Luke has already demonstrated that he’s both willing and able to appear as a Force ghost to impart wisdom. Mark Hamill remains deeply embedded in the Star Wars franchise, helping with Luke Skywalker’s appearances in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, so it’s easy to imagine he would be open to another appearance. The only issue with this addition is that The Rise of Skywalker was meant to mark the end of the Skywalker Saga; maybe his presence would undercut the sense that the movies are moving on.
5 R2-D2
Every Star Wars movie
R2-D2 has been with the Skywalkers since the beginning, both chronologically in terms of release and in terms of the Star Wars timeline. R2-D2 first appeared in Star Wars in A New Hope, when Princess Leia sent her famous “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you’re my only hope” message and then was intercepted by Luke. In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, R2 begins as Padmé’s droid, but he quickly takes to Anakin, the two accidentally getting pulled into the Battle of Naboo.
It would be brutal to know that, with the last of the Skywalker bloodline dead, R2 hasn’t continued his connection to the Skywalker family by pairing up with Rey Skywalker, who is carrying on the name. Of course, this wouldn’t need to mean that Rey has lost BB-8, although, depending on whether Poe is in the film, BB-8 may have moved on too. Regardless, with Luke and Leia both gone, R2-D2 should remain in the Star Wars franchise by staying at Rey’s side.
4 Grogu
The Mandalorian
Grogu would be about 90 years old by Rey’s new movie, and that means very little given his species. Yoda demonstrated that Grogu will be around for centuries, and as a Force-user, he could be very important to the film. While this may tragically mean that Grogu and Din Djarin have separated with the presumed loss of Din Djarin by then, Grogu could continue to be an example of a Force-user who has elected not to be a Jedi. Of course, the Mandalorian & Grogu movie will reveal more about Grogu’s fate, impacting what his role could be.
3 Anakin Skywalker
The star of the Skywalker saga
Hayden Christensen’s Anakin, like Luke, has recently proven his willingness and ability to appear as a Force ghost, having shown up at the end of Ahsoka season 1, looking down upon Ahsoka. Also like Luke, though, he poses the same issue of potentially undercutting the idea that Star Wars (and Rey) is moving on from the Skywalker Saga. Even so, Anakin would perhaps be an even better guide than Ahsoka; he knew in the greatest detail what the issues with the prequel trilogy’s Jedi Order were.
Ahsoka also already begun perpetuating the prequel Order’s flaws in The Book of Boba Fett, insisting that Grogu’s attachments meant he couldn’t be a Jedi. Anakin’s attachments were a problem, but not because attachments are inherently bad; Anakin struggled with an intense need to control those he loved and control outcomes. His need to ensure nothing happened to Padmé, which could have been separated from loving her with more guidance, is what needs to be addressed. By appearing in the film, which Hayden Christensen would surely be open to, Anakin could help Rey update one of the Order’s worst rules.
2 Sabine Wren
Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo in live-action, Sabine Wren would be around her early 70s by the time of Rey’s new movie. Characters like Lando Calrissian, who appeared at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, have proven that Sabine could easily still be an active participant in the galaxy at that age. Sabine was also last seen on Peridea with Ahsoka in the Ahsoka series after demonstrating a strong use of the Force. While she hadn’t yet been shown completing her training with Ahsoka to become a true Jedi, this certainly could have happened in that time frame, meaning that Sabine may even be in the new Order.
1 Ezra Bridger
Ahsoka
Eman Esfandi’s Ezra Bridger would perhaps make even more sense to be a member of the new Order, as he proved himself throughout Star Wars Rebels to be a very powerful Jedi. He also trained under Kanan Jarrus, making him one of few Force-users during the era of Rey’s new movie who was trained under a Jedi from the prequel’s Jedi Order. With this background, Ezra could be a major help to Rey, passing down Jedi practices and training. Whether he is or not, though, it’s clear that many Star Wars characters could (and should) return in Rey’s new Jedi Order movie.
