Yes, Rey Skywalker will be returning for the upcoming Star Wars sequels

Star Wars is returning. Well, to the big screen, at least. The franchise has spent the first half of the decade on television, but Disney has confirmed that there will be new Star Wars films in the future, and X-Men scribe/producer Simon Kinberg will be in charge of them.

There was some initial confusion as to whether the new trilogy of films would be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga or an unrelated story set within the Star Wars universe. The Hollywood Reporter said that Kinberg's films would explore new characters, but a new report from the outlet posits that there may be a change in plans to accommodate the return of Rey Skywalker.

Rey Skywalker will appear in multiple Star Wars films

Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, was the protagonist of Star Wars Episodes VII-IX. She spearheaded the Disney trilogy, and has been rumored to be making a return to the franchise since the underwhelming reception to The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.

Bringing back Rey would obviously inhibit Simon Kinberg's ability to tell a non-Skywalker story. Rey isn't actually a Skywalker, but the aforementioned 2019 film ended with her taking on the surname in honor of her mentors.

The Hollywood Reporter claims that the character will be playing a role in several films, as opposed to the standalone Rey film that was floated earlier this year. It has not yet been made clear whether they will be part of Kinberg's trilogy, or whether Rey will be given a trilogy of her own to lead.

Disney wants to capitalize on the character's popularity

That said, Disney is eager to capitalize on the recognizability of the character. One source close to the franchise posited that Rey is the single best asset they have moving forward:

"She is the most valuable cinematic asset, in some ways maybe the only one, Star Wars has right now."

It appears as though Disney is still trying to figure out a way to satisfy the demand for fresh ideas, while still utilizing established characters in an attempt to keep Star Wars profitable. It's evident the studio doesn't have a clear game plan at the moment, and like so many previous Star Wars plans, it is very possible that plans for a Rey return will be scrapped.

That said, the character is currently at the center of Disney's plan, and we're curious to see how she will factor into the next generation of Star Wars stories if given the chance.