Episode IX begins filming August 1, confirms Williams and Fisher

J.J. Abrams’ Episode IX will begin filming on August 1 at London’s Pinewood Studios, StarWars.com has announced, confirming that Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher (via unused The Force Awakens footage) will be returning.

Interestingly, the release calls IX “the final installment of the Skywalker saga.”

As expected, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd are also returning. They’re being joined by new (to Star Wars) faces, Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant.

A late addition to the release was Keri Russell, the only new-to-Star-Wars actor rumored for this round.

More details on the Fisher footage:

The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” says Abrams. “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 and Director of Photography Dan Mindel are also returning.

Star Wars Resistance is the next cartoon, debuts in the fall

The next Star Wars cartoon is officially announced, and it’s Resistance, set sometime before The Force Awakens. The “anime-inspired” series will star a character named Kazuda Xiono.

Xiono is “a young pilot recruited by the Resistance and tasked with a top-secret mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order.” The series will also feature BB-8 and appearances by Poe Dameron and Captain Phasma, with Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie reprising their roles.

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Hey kids! You want a Last Jedi blooper reel?

Here’s one! It has the infamous 27 slaps, a surprise from (we assume) BB-8 and hugs.

And another! Even more Oscar Isaac shenanigans, an overenthusiastic wind machine and John Boyega’s big bio-hexacrypt problem.

Man, I love these things.

The Last Jedi behind-the-scenes with Andy Serkis, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac and Daisy Ridley

With The Last Jedi home release imminent, several behind the scenes clips and featurettes have been released. There’s an interview with Andy Serkis on Snoke at Entertainment Weekly; Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher and The Slap at People; Daisy Ridley and Rian Johnson on Rey at E!.

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No Academy Awards for The Last Jedi

The Last Jedi failed to break Star Wars‘ 34-year streak at the Oscars, losing in all four categories it was nominated in. Both sound awards went to Dunkirk, Blade Runner 2049 took VFX, and John Williams lost out on score to Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water.

The Shape of Water was the night’s big winner, taking home four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Guillermo del Toro.

Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Kelly Marie Tran and BB-8 did present Best Animated Short and Feature, the highlight being BB-8 getting scratchies:

Kelly’s Instagram is worth a look though, and Mark Hamill was out doing his thing on the red carpet. Lupita Nyong’o and Laura Dern were also in attendance.

No Star Wars film has received an Oscar since 1984, when Return of the Jedi was awarded a Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects. But hey, we did get to see a porg on the Oscars, so that’s something.

Rumor: Will The Last Jedi drop on digital March 14?

Multiple sightings (Reddit, SWNN) are showing that The Last Jedi digital release may be March 14, nearly two weeks ahead of the (still unannounced) release of the Blu-Ray copies on March 27. The digital and physical releases for both The Force Awakens and Rogue One were only a few days apart. Word is we’ll get an official announcement on the 20th.

→ Oscar Isaac on shooting both The Last Jedi and the upcoming Annihilation at the same studio, and sometimes on the same day. (To make it even weird, he was playing Natalie Portman’s husband. Filmmaking!)

→ Really want tio dig into the nitty-gritty of The Last Jedi sets and filming? Production designer Rick Heinrichs wrote an article for the Art Directors Guild’s official magazine, which anyone can download in PDF form.

→ Domhnall Gleeson on how Peter Rabbit’s Mr. McGregor is like General Hux, and figuring out The Last Jedi’s choking scene.

The Last Jedi was named AARP’s Best Film for Grownups. ::sad trombone::

The Last Jedi: Press conference, interviews and more

The Last Jedi press conference (and junket) was held on Sunday, and while it was low on news, an official video has now been released so you can comb through it for details on your specific foci. It had fun moments, but you can feel the exhaustion pouring off all these poor people. Moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Anthony Breznican, it features Rian Johnson, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Gwendoline Christie, Domhnall Gleeson and Andy Serkis.

There are a lot of interviews coming out from the junket and other apperances, and honestly at this point all I can do is point you towards the Tumblr. Some highlights include The Star Wars Show, the First Order folks interviewing each other , everyone’s favorite Snoke theories and basically everything with Laura Dern and Oscar Isaac. (Just… Laura Dern.) Oh, and Daisy Ridley’s clarification on that quote about leaving the franchise.

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