STAR WARS RUMOR: Starfighter Will be About Mara Jade, Luke Skywalker’s Son….and Rey

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The distant galaxy we know from Star Wars might be taking a surprising turn. A recent rumor suggests that Starfighter-the next film in the franchise, directed by Shawn Levy and featuring Ryan Gosling and Amy Adams-could center around Mara Jade, a character originally from the Expanded Universe (EU), trying to connect Luke Skywalker’s son with…Rey.

Please keep in mind that the information below is just a rumor, based on reports from people who say they have inside knowledge.

The story began when Josh from Den of Nerds shared his surprise on X (formerly Twitter) about some information he received.

Okay, I’m feeling a bit better, but honestly I still can’t believe this is happening…

I’ve been hearing for YEARS that Rey is going to be a key figure in future Star Wars stories, but I also understand that there’s some disagreement within the company about whether that’s the right direction…

It is SHOCKING to…

— Josh (@JoshDenofNerds) September 28, 2025

“I’m starting to feel a little better, but I’m still really surprised this is actually happening,” he said. “I’ve been hearing for years that Rey is going to be a key part of future Star Wars content, but I also know there’s disagreement about that within the company… It’s really shocking to me that the entire plot of Starfighter seems designed to introduce the new Force-sensitive character to Rey… That feels like a lot… Really, the main reason I dislike this is because it doesn’t feel natural… There’s absolutely no way Shawn Levy started with a movie idea that would lead to Rey… This feels like a corporate decision to support and “correct” a character they created. It’s all about connecting the sequel trilogy to future films… Shawn’s movie could still be great, but Star Wars should be more than just this…”

Josh’s post points out the main worry among fans: that Lucasfilm is trying to focus attention on Rey again, hoping to make her a more popular character. Many believe she hasn’t connected with audiences as strongly as the original characters created by George Lucas.

WDW Pro Adds Fuel to the Fire

During Monday night’s Pro Show, That Park Place, WDW Pro, a publisher and source within the industry, shared information from his contacts at Lucasfilm: reportedly, Amy Adams has been cast in Starfighter as Mara Jade. Mara Jade is a popular character from the Expanded Universe (EU), originally appearing as the Emperor’s Hand and eventually becoming the wife of Luke Skywalker.

If this is accurate, it would be the first time Mara Jade has been officially recognized in the Star Wars universe, many years after she first appeared in Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire book series. The rumor suggests that the young Jedi being taken to Rey is actually Luke Skywalker’s son.

That would essentially combine the established stories and history of the EU with the new storylines Disney created for the sequels, directly connecting characters from the older Legends universe to what happens with Rey in the future.

Background: Mara Jade and Ben Skywalker in Legends

For those just discovering the story, Mara Jade is a truly memorable character from the old Expanded Universe of Star Wars. She began as a dedicated assassin working for Emperor Palpatine, but eventually turned away from the dark side. She then became a Jedi and found love with Luke Skywalker. They eventually married and had a son named Ben Skywalker. She is a fan favorite for good reason.

Ben grew into a strong and skilled Jedi Knight, taking on important parts in the New Jedi Order and Legacy of the Force book series. However, when Disney reset the official storyline in 2014, both he and Mara Jade were removed from the established universe. Despite this, fans who have followed the story for a long time still greatly enjoy and ask about these characters.

Choosing Amy Adams to play Mara Jade would be a daring move, immediately bringing both weight and celebrity status to the character’s debut. Naturally, if the character turns out to be the son of Luke and Mara, his name likely wouldn’t be Ben, since Disney has already used that name for Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo.

The Fan Divide: Rey vs. Legends

Here’s what worries me. While the idea of seeing Mara Jade show up is exciting, the buzz suggests her story will mostly be used to connect back to Rey’s journey. And honestly, for a lot of us fans, that’s just not something we want to see. It feels like it would diminish her own potential story. It’s a tough spot because I really want to be excited, but this connection feels forced. Many of us are hoping for something that stands on its own, instead of constantly looping back to what we already know. It’s a nonstarter for a lot of us.

The three sequel films saw decreasing success in theaters. The Last Jedi proved divisive among fans, and The Rise of Skywalker didn’t meet expectations. A key factor in this downturn was the character of Rey; many felt her development wasn’t natural, she suffered from inconsistent writing, and she symbolized Lucasfilm’s attempt to force a solution to perceived problems with Star Wars, prioritizing a corporate fix over authentic storytelling.

She unfortunately became the public face of the Kathleen Kennedy-led Disney Star Wars era, which many fans have grown to dislike.

Even so, reports indicate that Lucasfilm is still committed to featuring Rey prominently in Star Wars for the foreseeable future. While projects centered on Daisy Ridley’s character haven’t moved forward, suggesting limited fan enthusiasm, these rumors propose that Shawn Levy’s Starfighter is intended as a way to connect the existing fanbase with a character that hasn’t been widely embraced, potentially by including popular characters from the Expanded Universe.

Final Analysis

If the reports are accurate, casting Amy Adams as Mara Jade could be the satisfying moment fans have been hoping for over many years. However, connecting her story to Rey might actually ruin the idea. Rather than being excited about bringing back classic Legends material, viewers could see it as a cynical effort to push a character that the fanbase doesn’t want.

As both WDW Pro and Josh mentioned, Star Wars deserves to be more than just a series of fixes designed to cover up earlier errors. What fans really want is new, exciting stories-not just attempts to correct past issues.

As a huge cinema fan, I’m hearing whispers – and it’s still just a rumor at this point – that Amy Adams might be playing Mara Jade in Starfighter. If that’s true, Lucasfilm is definitely dipping into some seriously beloved parts of the old Star Wars Expanded Universe. It really makes you wonder, though: will they treat that legacy with respect, or will they try to shoehorn it into another story that focuses on making Rey the central figure of the franchise? It’s a big question for long-time fans like me, and I’m hoping they get it right. Star Wars deserves it!

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2025-09-30 17:59