Daisy Ridley to Lead New Action Thriller From James Bond Director

Daisy Ridley is trading lightsabers for assault rifles in the upcoming action thriller from the creative mind of Martin Campbell, the director of the acclaimed James Bond film Casino Royale. Ahead of her Star Wars solo film as Rey Skywalker, Ridley is keeping herself busy with several new buzzy roles. The latest is a Marine Corps commander who will have to use her unique combat skills to fight off attackers and save hostages, in a film titled Dedication.

Variety reports that Ridley is joining Campbell in their latest action thriller Dedication, written by Dan Gordon (Wyatt Earp, Passenger 57). It follows Major Billie Jean Parker, “a decorated Marine Corps commander” forced to retire after a mission involving civilian deaths in the Philippines. Now, Ridley’s character has a chance to redeem herself when anarchists take over a school building and hostages, forcing her to use her military skillset to save lives and take down the invading enemies. The official plot synopsis:

“Dedication follows Major Billie Jean Parker (Ridley), a decorated Marine Corps commander who is relieved of duty after a high-stakes mission in the Philippines results in civilian casualties, despite capturing anarchist leader Omar Romatas. Facing the loss of her career, she visits her dying father, Clyde, a former Marine, who asks her to attend a dedication ceremony for a school building named in his honor. The event takes a deadly turn when Omar Romatas’s vengeful son, Bento, launches an assault, taking hostages. Forced back into combat, Billie Jean sets traps and executes precise strikes to outwit the attackers. Her tactical instincts and ruthless efficiency shift the fight, as she confronts her past and proves her worth in a relentless battle that will define her legacy.”

Dedication is the second upcoming collaboration between Ridley and Campbell. A Die Hard-esque action flick titled Cleaner is on the way, which has the Star Wars actress participating in some “brutal action.” The same will likely be true in the new film, which seems to be another riff on the hostile-takeover plot. Dedication is produced by Gemstone Films, as well as Phil Hunt (Talk to Me), Sagiv Diamant (The Expendables 4), and Valentin Dimitrov (The Hitman’s Bodyguard). Meanwhile, executive producers include Highland Film Group’s Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, and casting director Gaby Whyte Hart.

Daisy Ridley Becomes an Action Star in Cleaner

Before Dedication hits theaters within the next few years, Daisy Ridley stars in the Martin Campbell-directed action flick Cleaner alongside Clive Owen. As the title suggests, the actress plays a window cleaner who, when terrorists take over a building she is working on, is tasked with saving hostages using her MMA and gun skills. If that plot sounds familiar, it’s because it is almost identical to the recently announced Dedication. Still, Ridley must have made for an incredible action hero the first time around to warrant taking down another hostage situation. Although Ridley starred in the new Star Wars trilogy, the actress feels as if this is the first time she’s been in a pure action film. Her words:

“I don’t know. I made Magpie from the ground up. So that was like a totally different experience. It was my idea. I produced it, I star in it, all of that stuff. But it’s interesting, because right now I’m doing what feels like — and it’s not because I haven’t done action in other films — but [Cleaner] feels to me like the first action movie I’ve done.

And it’s really hard work, but it’s really fun because I f—ing love action movies. I love John Wick. I love car chases. I love fights. I love all of that. So, we’re starting a big fight sequence tomorrow that I’m very excited about. In terms of [choosing between] the films, no, it’s like Sophie’s Choice, I couldn’t choose which one’s cooler.”

In addition to Dedication and Cleaner, Ridley is filling up her schedule with some non-action films as well. Most recently, she starred in Young Woman and the Sea, a biography about the first woman to swim the English Channel, and Magpie, a neo-noir thriller developed by Ridley herself. Until her upcoming Star Wars solo film comes out (if Lucasfilm can get its act straight), Ridley fans will have plenty to watch her in on the big screen.