Star Wars films have been in limbo ever since the release of The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. However, new rumors suggest that writer Damon Lindelof is preparing a new movie in a galaxy far, far away that takes place after the events of the sequel trilogy and is scheduled to film later this year.
Lindelof is best known for his work on the hit television series Lost, and he more recently worked on the critically acclaimed series Watchmen for HBO. Interestingly, he worked closely with JJ Abrams on Lost. Abrams, of course, directed two of the three Star Wars sequels and was the loudest creative voice in the story direction for those films. The Hollywood Reporter, one of the outlets that wrote about Lindelof’s new Star Wars movie (a fact that gives these rumors even more credibility, given the reliability of the outlet), stated that this film is likely to take place after Episode IX and that sequel trilogy characters could appear. Given the possibilities for these heroes (and villains) to appear in supporting roles, here are five sequel trilogy characters that could appear in the upcoming film.
Rey Skywalker
The main protagonist of the sequel trilogy, Rey acquired her new surname in the final moments of The Rise of Skywalker, telling the stranger on Tatooine that she was a Skywalker. That was the last that fans saw of the sequels and the furthest that Star Wars has gone in the timeline in canon. From that point, fans have assumed that Rey went off to start a new Jedi Order and attempt to repair damage done to the galaxy by the First Order.
It would make the most logical sense to have Rey appear in a movie set after Episode IX, given the fact that she’s the most powerful Jedi (certainly at this time, but perhaps ever) and her central role within the previous trilogy. Much like Luke was a legend after the events of the original trilogy, it’s likely that Rey is viewed in a similar light. Therefore, if there’s a new younger Jedi as the star of this new film, they could see their hero, Rey, in her prime. This was something that Rey herself wasn’t able to witness with Luke, who had already hidden himself away on Ahch To. A new dynamic could create an interesting contrast from the sequel trilogy while still building forward.
Finn
Finn was revealed to be Force sensitive in The Rise of Skywalker, confirming what many fans already believed after the trilogy began. Finn was excellent with a lightsaber and had the same sort of feeling as Rey, so it was no surprise to hear that he will likely also become a Jedi in the future.
It’s presumed that, like Rey, Finn will continue down his Jedi path after the events of Episode IX, so any appearance of Rey herself is likely to be accompanied by John Boyega’s character as well. This would be particularly impactful, especially if Finn has a lightsaber and sports the iconic Jedi robes, showing just how far he’s come from his time as a stormtrooper with the First Order.
Rose Tico
After having such a big role in The Last Jedi, Rose was reduced to a bit-part player in the final film of the Skywalker Saga. Yes, The Rise of Skywalker had much to accomplish in a short span of time, but many fans felt that Rose was left behind amidst the chaos of Palpatine’s return and the amount of new elements introduced in the final film.
Rose was still a main leader of the Resistance despite her limited screen time, so her return would also be relatively natural in a story set after Episode IX. The Resistance would likely stick around in the years after the end of the war to ensure that the remnants of the First Order don’t rise again, something that happened with what was left of the Empire, so any number of the heroes and leaders could appear. Kelly Marie Tran is always an excellent performer, doing incredibly well with her role last time out despite not having much to do.
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron was Leia’s replacement as the leader of the Resistance, and he quickly recruited Finn to be co-leader with him towards the end of Episode IX. Dameron has the personality of Han Solo with the same kind of dedication to the Resistance that Leia herself had with the Rebellion, so it would be expected that Poe would be there at any galactic conflict or battle. Poe is also incredibly selfless and always willing to help out those in need, so a rescue mission for potential new characters could also be on the cards.
Palpatine
The fifth and final sequel trilogy character that could appear is one that is an out-of-the-box choice, Emperor Palpatine. He died at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, but given the fact that he lived through the ending of Episode VI, it seems easy enough to bring him back once again. The question wouldn’t necessarily be if the writers could find a way to bring Palpatine back, but more so if they would want to. His latest return was controversial to say the least, with some labeling it canon-breaking due to the Chosen One prophecy spoken about in the prequels.
Interestingly, The Rise of Skywalker originally featured more of a direct reference to the possibility of Palpatine surviving his battle with Rey. According to screenwriter Chris Terrio, an ending was filmed in which the characters discussed if Palpatine could come back. Rather than refuting the idea, the heroes simply said that if he did, they would be ready to stop him, which is quite a big hint at his return.
Again, the reception to The Rise of Skywalker and Palpatine’s return means that this is less likely than Rey Skywalker or some of the other characters. But with modern day Star Wars, it seems that those who die don’t actually stay dead for long.
