Summary
Star Wars: New Jedi Orderrecently enlisted writer George Nolfi to pen the screenplay. Now, the scribe has indicated that he intends to continue exploring a topic George Lucas always addressed in theStar Warsfranchise.
Star Wars: New Jedi Order(not the official title) was first announced at the 2023Star Wars Celebrationevent. Daisy Ridley was present at the convention to confirm she will reprise her role as Rey Skywalker, with the film following the character as she builds a new Jedi Order 15 years after the events ofThe Rise of Skywalker.Multiple writers have boarded and departed the project, withNolfi joiningStar Wars: New Jedi Orderin January 2025.
During an interview withFilm Stories, the online publication suggested politics that might be explored in Nolfi’sStar Warsscript. Nolfi, who studied politics and philosophy before becoming a screenwriter, seemingly confirmed he would explore the topic, noting that Lucas’Star Warsmovies were “very steeped in broad notions of politics.” The screenwriter echoed other fans and writers who have noted theparallels between the Galactic Empireand Nazi Germany, the Roman Empire’s rise and the Galactic Republic’s fall, and how the tools used to bring order can then be used to oppress citizens. However, Nolfi noted thatStar Warsbenefits from being able to explore political themes without “feeling like a philosophy or political science class.”
“It’s not talking about today, per se, but there’s the Empire’s Nazism slash Roman Empire. The democracy of the Roman Empire collapsing and becoming an empire and the perennial story of human beings organizing themselves against chaos, and then the tools that help human societies tamp down on chaos become oppression. So that is very core to what I think George Lucas was trying to discuss. And one of the wonderful things about science fiction and Star Wars – which is more almost science fantasy or space opera – is that you’re able to raise the deepest issues without it feeling like a philosophy class, or a political science class, or something I read in the newspaper today. It can be about real things, deep things.
Earlier in the interview, the online publication wondered how Nolfi planned to include his “interests” and “personality” in a franchise as well-established asStar Wars. As thethird writer on Ridley’sNew Jedi Order Star Warsmovie(following Damon Lindelof & Justin Britt-Gibson and Steven Knight), which has had filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attached as a director since 2022, Nolfi is adding his voice to a project that already has several talented people involved. However, Nolfi explained that he intends to look at the ideas proposed by those before him and present his own story while honoring what came before.
The way I approach it is, you look at what’s come before you, you look at the broad ideas of what they want to do. Meaning: Lucasfilm, Disney, Sharmeen [Obaid-Chinoy], the director, and then you do what a writer does, and attempt to put beats of a story together. Try and imagine characters, and then you present that with an understanding that it needs to honour, obviously, a long, incredible tradition.
Most fans are likely thrilled to hear Nolfi plans to explore “deep” topics in theNew Jedi Ordermovie. However, some fans want theStar Warsfranchise to stay out of politics. These fans (arguably more right-wing ones) argueStar Warshas been pushing a particular political agenda since Disney acquired the IP, with many specifically complaining that the franchise has become too “woke.” Of course, most recognize this criticism as mere complaints against diverse casting. This was recently noted whenStar Wars: The Acolytewas review-bombed by trolls. While there are reasonable criticisms to be made againstThe Acolyteand the entireStar Warsfranchise, a vocal number of ‘fans’ were only outraged by Lucasfilm’s continued efforts to include more women, people of color, and other people who weren’t white cis males.
Of course, as Nolfi and others have noted,Star Warshas always been political. Lucas himself has discussed howStar Warswas partly inspired by the Vietnam War and the Richard Nixon administration, with the Galactic Empire standing in for the United States government. While theStar Warsprequels were not well-received upon release, recent reassessments of those films find them politically astute. The trade conflict at the center ofStar Wars: The Phantom Menacewas ridiculed, but it recently gained new appreciation once U.S. President Donald Trump launched a trade war against Canada, Mexico, and China. In short,Star Warshas always tackled politics and serious subjects and will seemingly continue to do so.
Star Wars: New Jedi Orderis in development at Lucasfilm.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
