Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker

"I've read the script and I've been on set. I was on set for, like, three weeks back in September, and it is going to be magical."

- Billie Lourd on what Episode IX will be like

Star Wars: Episode IX is an upcoming 2019 film set to be directed by J.J. Abrams from a script by Abrams and Chris Terrio. It will be the third and final film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The film, produced by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, is a continuation of 2015's The Force Awakens, which Abrams also directed and co-wrote, and 2017's The Last Jedi. Lucasfilm has referred to Episode IX as the final film of the Skywalker saga.

The film stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams. The late Carrie Fisher will appear via unused footage from The Force Awakens. The film was first announced after The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. Colin Trevorrow was initially announced as the director and writer of the film, but he and Lucasfilm parted ways in September 2017, with Lucasfilm citing "creative differences" over the project. Abrams and The Last Jedi writer and director Rian Johnson were both considered leading contenders for the job from major media outlets, with Abrams being announced on September 12, 2017.

Principal photography began on August 1, 2018, with a release scheduled for December 20, 2019.

Plot
Several cast members have revealed details of the plot; John Boyega has stated that the film will take place at least one year after the events of Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi. In an interview with USA Today, Oscar Isaac has stated that by the time in which the story takes place, the Resistance has been reduced to "guerrilla fighters", describing the film as a "war movie". Dominic Monaghan, a late addition to the cast, revealed in the Distraction Pieces podcast that his character would only appear in the first act of the film and possibly briefly later on.

Development
"Between the Star Wars films, there's a different energy between JJ Abrams and Rian [Johnson]. I’ve been really lucky with the people I’ve worked with. That’s the joy, getting to change it up."

- Domhnall Gleeson about working on Episode IX

In August 2015, Colin Trevorrow was announced as director for Episode IX. As Abrams and Johnson had to ensure a smooth transition between Episodes VII and VIII, Johnson and Trevorrow worked closely to ensure continuity between their respective films. With cinematographer John Schwartzman, Trevorrow planned to shoot on 65 mm film, and wanted to capture some footage in actual outer space.

Various reports claimed that both Abrams and Johnson were involved with the story for Episode IX, though they each denied this,  with Abrams saying on his part "We don't write a treatment but there are countless times we came up with something and said 'oh, this would be so great for Episode VIII!' or 'Thats what we could get to in IX!' According to The Force Awakens co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, the Lucasfilm creative team developed a general idea early on as to how they wanted the film to end.

Long before Lucasfilm's acquisition by Disney in 2012, Star Wars creator George Lucas mentioned that he had plans to make nine films. Producer Gary Kurtz mentioned in a 1999 interview that Lucas' plans for Episode IX included the first appearance of the Emperor, a plot point ultimately used in the original trilogy's conclusion. Lucas once estimated to film Episode IX in 2011 back in 1976 and wanted Mark Hamill to make a cameo in the film "like Obi-Wan handing the lightsaber down to the next new hope". According to Hamill in a recent interview, Lucas' outline for the sequel trilogy had Luke Skywalker surviving until Episode IX and training Leia Organa in the Force. Hamill was an advocate for this version of the story.

Death of Carrie Fisher
"The minute she finished, she grabbed me and said, 'I'd better be at the forefront of IX!' Because Harrison was front and center on VII, and Mark is front and center on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been."

- Kathleen Kennedy on Carrie Fisher's death

Carrie Fisher died on December 27, 2016. In light of this, Trevorrow met with Kennedy in January 2017 to discuss possible story solutions. Kennedy said that the team had "pretty much started over," and it was reported that Jack Thorne was hired to rewrite the initial script. However, in September 2017, it was announced that Trevorrow had left the project due to creative differences, and would be replaced by The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams, who would also co-write the film with Chris Terrio (Disney agreed to pay a fee to Paramount Pictures so that Abrams could make the film, as he had been in breach of contract with the latter by his involvement in The Force Awakens). Abrams pitched his story to Disney head Bob Iger in December 2017, and had a script ready by February 2018.

Lucasfilm dispelled rumors that it would digitally recreate Fisher in future films. Fisher's brother Todd said that he and Billie Lourd had granted Lucasfilm rights to use footage of her. Kennedy initially claimed that Fisher would not appear in the film, though Abrams later confirmed that Fisher will appear in the film via unused footage from The Force Awakens &mdash;a decision Fisher's brother Todd credited to Abrams. Poe Dameron actor Oscar Isaac later revealed during an interview with The Daily Beast that, while Fisher's appearance in the film will be brief, the film's story deals with it quite a bit and will appropriately pay homage to Fisher in a really "beautiful way."

Production
"I had no intention to return. But when the opportunity presented itself to finish a story that we had begun with these new characters, to tell the last chapter of their story, it felt like there was a chance to do it in a way where we could go beyond, and do better than we did in Seven."

- J.J. Abrams on returning to Star Wars

Principal photography began at Pinewood Studios on August 1, 2018, under the working title of "trlXie" (originally "Black Diamond"). Production also took place in Wadi Rum, Jordan for three weeks. Some sequences are being filmed with IMAX cameras. According to Oscar Isaac, the shooting of IX has allowed for more improvisation than VII or VIII; "It’s a testament to J.J. coming back and feeling confident. There's less pressure for it to be right. We just want to make a good movie and have a really good time while doing it." Filmmaker Kevin Smith visited the set and described what he saw: "Biggest set I've ever seen in my life. The dude's not directing a movie, it's like he's directing a small country." By December 11, 2018, Hamill had worked for "about a week" on the film, but had yet to shoot most of his scenes, which he expected to do alongside his work on the TV series Knightfall. Filming is expected to wrap in February 2019.

On June 28, while promoting Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Benicio Del Toro expressed interest in reprising his role as DJ from The Last Jedi. On a September 25 interview with Screen Rant, Star Wars veteran Warwick Davis stated that he can't wait to receive a phone call to have a part in the film. On December 7, The Sun tabloid newspaper reported that English singer Ed Sheeran had been cast to cameo as a stormtrooper.

Music
During a concert with the Young Musician's Foundation Debut Orchestra on February 9, 2013, composer John Williams said he was hoping to get the chance to write the musical scores for the sequel trilogy films. After composing The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, Williams is slated to write the musical score for Episode IX, though he has said that it will most likely be his final Star Wars project.

Release
The film was originally scheduled for release on May 24, 2019, but was later pushed back to December 20, giving the May 24 date to the live-action remake of Aladdin.

In November 2018, Lucasfilm debuted the animated shorts Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures as an introduction to the saga for children, beginning a year-long lead-up to the film.

Reception
The film is projected by Forbes writer Scott Mendelson to open to higher box office records given that films like Wonder Woman 1984, James Bond 25 and Death on the Nile have been all pushed back to 2020. As of the current moment, Episode IX will compete at box office with Jumanji 3 and Cats.