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Star Wars 9: Everything we know so far from cast list to release dates

The Skywalker saga comes to its epic conclusion in December of next year

Clarisse Loughrey
Saturday 06 April 2019 13:14 BST
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Star Wars - The Last Jedi Trailer

The Skywalker saga comes to its epic conclusion this year.

Disney’s first Star Wars trilogy since it acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012 will come to an end with Episode IX, which sees The Force Awakens‘ J.J. Abrams return to the director’s chair after Colin Trevorrow stepped down as director last year.

With Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi teasing major shifts within the Star Wars universe (”Let the past die. Kill it if you have to”), all eyes will now be on Abrams. Can Kylo Ren be redeemed? Will Rey be the saviour of the Jedi? Will that one porg get home safely?

Here’s everything we know so far about the (as-yet-unnamed) Star Wars: Episode IX.

Release Date

Episode IX was previously to follow in line with Solo: A Star Wars Story with a 24 May 2019 release date, though it’s since been shifted back to a holiday release date: 20 December 2019. In the US that is, as UK viewers will get the opportunity to see the film one day earlier on 19 December.

The Last Jedi was similarly originally announced for a May release date, before getting pushed back to December. And it seems to have been the right call, considering Solo’s own troubles at the box office are partially believed to have stemmed out of its earlier release date.

Filming Start Date

Filming commenced on Wednesday, 1 August 2018 at Pinewood Studios in London.


Cast 

Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo (the man behind Chewbacca), and Billie Lourd are all back.

After much discussion as to how the Star Wars franchise will navigate the death of Carrie Fisher, a statement clarified that Leia will make an appearance in Episode IX, using previously unseen footage that was captured for The Force Awakens.

“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher. Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG (computer-generated) character,” J.J. Abrams stated. “With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.

Mark Hamill will also return as Luke Skywalker, which raises a few eyebrows considering the character seemingly met his end in The Last Jedi.

Other veterans of the original trilogy set to return are Billy Dee Williams, reprising his role as Lando Calrissian, and Anthony Daniels, back once more as C-3PO.

The Star Wars universe will also open its doors to Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, and Naomi Ackie – who will all feature in as-yet-unannounced roles.

First Trailer

Fans will be waiting a while to see their first glimpse from the next chapter of the franchise. The first trailer for The Last Jedi premiered at Star Wars Celebration, and that’s likely to happen once more. So expect to wait until 11-15 April, when the convention takes place in Chicago.

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