Rey Skywalker could be set to return to Star Wars sooner than we thought.There’s no escaping the fact that the sequel trilogy remains the most poorly received entry in the entire Star Wars franchise. Each film might have been a huge box office success for Disney (none failed to cross $1 billion worldwide), but the last two films, The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), received overwhelmingly negative reviews from audiences and critics and permanently ruined the franchise for many longtime fans.Credit: LucasfilmSomehow, Rey Skywalker Will ReturnAnd when it comes to the sequels’ many points of contention, Rey (Daisy Ridley) is no exception. Often described as a “Mary Sue” (which typically means unrealistically perfect), Rey is a character who inexplicably goes from strength to strength throughout the course of the films, with no real obstacles in her way, whether external or internal, or both.It’s a stark contrast to Luke Skywalker‘s journey in the original trilogy and emblematic of the sequels’ poor writing and lack of direction.At the same time, Rey has many defenders. Still, it was surprising when Disney announced plans for a post-sequel era film with Ridley back at the helm. Set to be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the film is expected to take place 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, focusing on Rey as she rebuilds the Jedi Order in a galaxy that’s still recovering from the war between the Rebels and the First Order, the events portrayed throughout the sequel trilogy.Credit: LucasfilmWhile the untitled Rey project is reportedly still in development, unlike the upcoming films The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026) and Starfighter (2027), it has no release date attached and no definitive word on whether it’s still actually happening.However, according to YouTube channel Echo Base Network, there are rumors circulating that Daisy Ridley will reprise her role as Rey Skywalker in Starfighter, which is being directed Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) with Ryan Gosling (Barbie) in the cockpit.Lucasfilm recently shared a first-look image on social media. It shows Reynolds’ character (presumably a fighter pilot) next to a young boy (played by Flynn Gray) in a watery setting: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shawn Levy (@slevydirect)What’s Star Wars: Starfighter About?According to Disney, Star Wars: Starfighter “is a standalone adventure taking place approximately five years after the events of 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. The film, which will begin production this fall, is an entirely new adventure featuring all-new characters set in a period of time that has not been explored on screen yet.”While no specifics have been revealed, rumors claim that Reynolds is a non-Jedi character who’s entrusted with flying his nephew, a Force-sensitive child (Gray), across the galaxy.Per The Hot Mic‘s John Rocha: “The main kid is Force-sensitive. His mom is being played, as we said, by Amy Adams. She seems to be a Jedi. Gosling is not a Jedi, but he’s helping his nephew escape two evil bad guys who are chasing him across the stars. He has a mission he’s on, given to him by Adams.” These claims remain unsubstantiated by Disney and Lucasfilm.Credit: LucasfilmWill Rey Appear in Starfighter?A film like Starfighter could be a good place to reintroduce Rey and a smart way to gauge her standing with fans. But it would need to be more than just a cameo. And if those plot rumors are also true, it’s not unreasonable to think that Gosling’s character is taking the young Jedi to the safety of the newly built Jedi Order, which would set up the Rey movie.Outside the films, Rey has appeared many times, most recently in the four-part Disney+ miniseries LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy — Pieces of the Past, in which she’s voiced by Helen Sadler. She has also appeared in animated shows such as Forces of Destiny (2017) and in the video game “Star Wars Battlefront II”, both of which saw Ridley reprise her role.Clearly, Rey has her fans. It just begs to question whether Disney is willing to risk the success of Starfighter by tying it into the sequel trilogy so closely.Starfighter releases on May 28, 2027. The Mandalorian & Grogu releases on May 22, 2026.Would you like to see Rey appear in Starfighter? Let us know your thoughts!The post ‘Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley Rumored To Return Alongside Ryan Gosling in ‘Starfighter’ appeared first on Inside the Magic.