Star Wars Celebration is on in Chicago, and the Episode IX panel was today with Stephen Colbert hosting! Here are the highlights, and the little hints they were willing to give fans.
J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy were on hand to let us know that they have reworked scenes with Leia that were shot for The Force Awakens, and that she appears in Episode IX.
It’s been confirmed that there’s a time jump between The Last Jedi and Episode IX, and here was the first glimpse of how far we might be looking at:
We also got our first look at Billy Dee Williams back in his Lando capes:
J.J. Abrams was willing to reveal that Episode IX is a journey that the core group of the new era will take together.
Naomi Ackie was revealed as the newest cast member whose name is Jannah. Colbert asked her is Lando was her father, and she demurred, stating that Lando likely had children all over the galaxy…
Finn has new wardrobe, as does Poe, and when Colbert tried to get into the potential “love triangle” between Finn and Rey and Rose, John Boyega pointedly added Poe to that love fest. Oscar Isaac felt similarly, professing “I think he takes his love for Finn very seriously.”
Daisy Ridley was able to confirm that Luke and Anakin’s lightsaber is still around, despite seemingly being destroyed in Last Jedi, though we don’t know if Rey will be wielding it.
Kelly Marie Tran got the biggest applause of anyone on that stage, and the room began chanting her name. J.J. Abrams said that he received many gifts from Rian Johnson and Episode XIII, but the biggest gift was her casting. (And we see Rose and Rey get to interact!)
This new creature named Klad will be a friend of the Resistance in the upcoming film:
Klad is a new friend of the Resistance. @starwars Celebration Chicago #StarWars #StarWarsCelebration #episodeIX pic.twitter.com/mMATn5VMbT
— Jedi News (@JediNewsNetwork) April 12, 2019
Joonas Suotamo is the current Chewbacca, and made a point of shouting out to Peter Mayhew the originator of the role, citing all that he learned from him. His son also got to come to set and play a small part:
BB-8 has a new buddy! His name is D-O…
FIRST LOOK at D-O from Star Wars Episode IX#StarWarsCelebration #StarWars #GalaxysEdge #EpisodeIX pic.twitter.com/RMONUSavAl
— Lou Mongello (@LouMongello) April 12, 2019
AND LOOK WHO ELSE SHOWED UP:
NOW YOU SHOULD PROBABLY WATCH THE TRAILER AGAIN IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY.
