Star Wars IX Is A Long Way Away, But Here's What We Know About It So Far

From Esquire

In case you haven't heard, there's gonna be another Star War-and another, and another, and another until your mortal coil leaves this earth. But this particular Star War is a doozy, because it's the conclusion to the Skywalker saga which began way back in 1977.

Here's everything we know about the upcoming Star Wars IX, including the release date, the cast, and what it could potentially be about.

When does it come out?

Star Wars IX is scheduled for 20 December, 2019 release date, which gives you plenty of time to clear your schedule that week. Principle photography for the film began on Aug. 1, 2018, which director J.J. Abrams celebrated with a image from the set.

What is it going to be called?

We don't know yet, but fans (of course) have a number of good theories. One suggests that it could be called A New Order, which is a nod to either the new First Order under Kylo Ren or a new order of the Jedi under Rey. Another theory says it could be called Spark of Hope, which is based on words found in the crawl from The Last Jedi. If we're following the timeline of previous films, the title probably won't be announced until sometime in early 2019.

Who is directing it?

Shortly after he directed the laughably bad The Book of Henry, Colin Trevorrow was fired from Star Wars IX and replaced by The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams. It's a safe choice for Disney and Lucasfilm, as Abrams is a reliable director who succeeded in launching a new era (though arguably familiar) era for Star Wars.

Who is going to be in it?

Disney announced in late July that returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd (Carrie Fisher's daughter). Joining the cast of Episode IX are Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell, who will be joined by veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian. Disney has also announced that Lost and Lord of the Rings star Dominic Monaghan is also joining the cast.

How is Abrams handling the tragic death of Carrie Fisher?

After months of speculation about how Star Wars would move forward following the death of Carrie Fisher, Disney announced that Leia Organa will once again be played by Fisher in Star Wars IX. While it's unclear how, exactly, this will work, Abrams is going to use previously unreleased footage shot for The Force Awakens. "We desperately loved Carrie Fisher," Abrams said in a news release. "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 honour Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII."

When might we get to see the first trailer?

We don't know for sure, but following with the timeline of the last few movies, it's safe to expect the film about eight months before the release date. The trailer for The Last Jedi was released during the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando.

What is it going to be about?

Hell, I don't know! But fans sure have a lot of (mostly bad) ideas.

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