Following the departure of Colin Trevorrow as the director for Star Wars: Episode IX, Lucasfilm has announced that filmmaker J.J. Abrams will return to the franchise to direct the final chapter in the new trilogy of films. Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio (Justice League, Argo). Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm.
“With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.
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The characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Episode IX can next be seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, opening in theaters on December 15. Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper), the film continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcoming back cast members Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Domhnall Gleeson as Hux, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, and Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke. New cast members will include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran as Rose.
Star Wars: Episode IX is set to debut in theaters December 20, 2019.
