Walt Disney just announced they’ve begun production on Star Wars Episode IX. Filming is expected to begin on August 1, 2018 at London’s Pinewood Studios.
J.J. Abrams returns to the director’s chair after Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Abrams co-wrote the sceenplay with Chris Terrio.
The cast will see the return of Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd.
They will be joined by Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. Veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams will also return for Episode IX.
Carrie Fisher will also reprise her role as Leia Organa. In the press release, Disney reveals they will use “previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
J.J. Abrams elaborated:
“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 character. 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.”
Composer John Williams will also return to the franchise.
The movie will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan. It will be executive produced by Callum Greene and Jason McGatlin. The crew includes Director of Photography Dan Mindel, Co Production Designers Rick Carter and Kevin Jenkins, Costume Designer Michael Kaplan, Creature and Droid FX Neal Scanlan, Editors Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube, VFX Supervisor Roger Guyett, 1st AD Tommy Gormley, and 2nd Unit Director Victoria Mahoney.
The film is expected to come to theaters sometime in December of 2019.
Will you go see Star Wars Episode IX after Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi? Does the return of Mark Hamill and unused footage of Carrie Fisher tease you back to the franchise? What do you think will happen?