The Episode IX panel at Celebration Chicago is set for Friday, April 12. Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams are our only confirmed panelists, but previous Celebrations generally featured a good chunk of the main cast. Also, could that picture, from today’s ReedPOP email, above be our third from IX, or it is a TFA pic that’s only now coming to light? Mystery!
Today also featured more new guests, headlined by Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera), Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka) and Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan).
Entertainment Tonight’s Ash “Porg Queen” Crossan managed to snag a few moments with Episode IX director J.J. Abrams at the 14th Annual Oscar Wilde Awards on Thursday. Naturally, he’s low on specifics, but they are his first comments since wrap, so have at it:
As Episode IX wraps filming, director J.J. Abrams shares his second set shot from the film – and this time, it’s in focus! Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac – in costume – share a hug on location – presumably Jordan.
“It feels impossible, but today wrapped photography on Episode IX,” the tweet says. “There is no adequate way to thank this truly magical crew and cast. I’m forever indebted to you all.”
Kevin Smith was on Good Morning America today and he discussed visiting J.J. Abrams and the set of Episode IX in London. Although he signed “so many nondisclosure agreements that if I said anything somebody would pop out with a lightsaber and cut my hand off,” he did manage to share a few things, namely that the movie looks great and he witnessed someone give “a career-best performance.”
Video, and a transcription of the most relevant bit, under the cut.
Although there have been numerous reports – and even social media posts from the likes of John Boyega (mostly via Instagram stories) and Oscar Isaac’s wife Elvira Lind – we finally have some comments from higher up the food chain. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and director J.J. Abrams both talked to Roya News about Jordan’s Wadi Rum:
“Wadi Rum is breathtakingly beautiful and the perfect location for our film,” says Abrams. “I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to shoot in Jordan. Between the warm welcome from the government and the dedication and hard work of the local film professionals, we couldn’t have had a better experience. We are enormously grateful.”
Producer Kathleen Kennedy said “I also want to thank the Royal Film Commission Jordan, and the Army, whose tremendous support has been invaluable, and helped make this shoot possible.”
Other than Boyega and Isaac (and maybe Anthony Daniels,) the cast has been mainly mum on who exactly is out in Jordan. There are fuzzy photos that may indicate at least one other cast member joined them, but they’re hardly conclusive.
STAR WARS – EPISODE IX – SPOLER ALERT – NOW IT CAN BE TOLD LEAK. DATELINE PINEWOOD. It's cold & raining. Demands are made to return to the wonderful warm planet of Jordan's, Wadi Rum where cast and crew spent a glorious time in a beautiful, spectacular, thrilling setting. Or two.
There’s plenty of speculation on what Jordan means for the story – understandably, a return to Jakku is a common theory – but it’s interesting that Daniels’ tweet implies it may be standing in for more than one. Curious.
J.J. Abrams posted his first tweet to his personal account to mark the first day of shooting on Episode IX. “Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go.” he tweeted. “Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX”
The clapperboard photo (#dayone) was tweeted by @bad_robot on May 16, 2014, while an official video for Omaze/Force for Change featuring director J.J. Abrams and the creature we now know as BobbaJo arrived on May 21.
A VERY iffy but extremely interesting Episode IX rumor has emerged this weekend, and it’s of particular interest to long-time readers of our site. This is SUPER SKETCHY information, from a Youtuber no less, but it’s also something I don’t feel I can ignore. Head under the cut for possible (or not, it’s that sketchy) spoilers, and some additional thoughts.
Our old friend the Rey parentage discourse, which was seemly settled in The Last Jedi, came rearing back today thanks to Simon Pegg, who’s pals with The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams and played Jakku heavyweight Unkar Plutt in the film.
They have a script, and it begins filming at the “end of July”, J.J. Abrams says on The Late Show. That’s it. That’s the news. But the Episode IX director’s interview with Stephen Colbert has some fun bits. Watch it:
