The screenwriter of the sequel to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has left again

The sequel to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lost its screenwriter Steven Knight. The sequel is directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and stars Daisy Ridley, the heroine of the new Star Wars trilogy.

Steven Knight is the creator of Peaky Blinders

According to Variety, Disney is actively looking for a replacement. Steven Knight joined the project in March 2023, and before him, screenwriters Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson also left.

The series of departures from the screenwriters means that the unnamed "Star Wars 9" sequel will not start production until a few months into 2025 at the earliest. This means that the film is unlikely to catch the first of the two still-unconfirmed release dates of "Star Wars", December 16, 2026, and is more likely to be released on the next one, December 17, 2027.

Without a screenwriter or release date, little is known about the film, though it will focus on Ridley's Rey Skywalker as she rebuilds the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. The actress said in November 2023 that it was a "really cool" movie and something completely different than what she expected. "She said at the time, 'I haven't seen anything, but I know the story. It's really worth telling and worth exploring, and I think people are going to be excited about it.'"