In case you missed it, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released this weekend. It opened to $220 million dollars domestically, making it the 2nd highest opening weekend ever. But it’s been rather divisive for audiences. Fans have plenty of reason to hate it. Fans have plenty of reason to love it. Audiences will likely be talking about the fall right up until the release of Episode IX. Considering that film is dated for 2019, the ball has already begun rolling over at Disney and Lucasfilm.
There were rumors that J.J. Abrams first pitched the story to Star Wars Episode IX to Bob Iger and other Disney Executives this past Friday. That’s right, the day Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released in theaters was the day the company began official work on the next installment. And so, now that pre-production has begun the film’s working title has reportedly been discovered.
Fantha Tracks reports that the working title for Abrams’ next film is Black Diamond. The website has a solid reputation. Having released both the working titles for Rogue One (Los Alamos) and The Last Jedi (Space Bear).
But does this reveal any details about the conclusion to the new trilogy? Let’s see…
Beware of MAJOR spoilers for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, ye who reads past this point
You’ve been warned.
In The Last Jedi Rey comes face to face with a black, crystalline wall with the look of obsidian. In it she sees herself. Many versions of herself. They copy and mimic her movements slower and slower, as she wonders more what the point of the vision is. She believes the most pressing question is the identity of her parents. Instead, the mirror images are telling her to focus on herself. And the more time she spends on that question, the more time she wastes.
The Black Diamond could be referencing this scene. Another synonym for black diamond is coal, maybe a reference to the film being released around Christmas season.
One last possibility is a reference to the house of mouse. There have frequently been “____ diamond” collection releases of Disney home movies. Well, one of the most collectible and classic versions was, unsurprisingly, the Black Diamond releases.
The title itself may not hold any clues to the story of Episode IX. In fact, the title could have been created before J.J. Abrams ever pitched the story.
Regardless of what it reveals, fans will continue to wait impatiently for the next installment in the journey of Rey and Kylo Ren.