With December’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, director J.J. Abrams faces the mammoth task of not only trying to get the anti-Star Wars: The Last Jedi fans back on board with the Sequel Trilogy, but also delivering a fitting conclusion to the Skywalker Saga, spanning all nine Episodes over the past 42 years.
Speaking to IGN at Star Wars Celebration this weekend, Abrams revealed that as part of the development process, he met with Star Wars creator George Lucas to discuss the final chapter of the Saga prior to starting work on the screenplay.
“This movie had a very, very specific challenge which was to take eight films and give an ending to three trilogies. We had to look at what was the bigger story. We had conversations amongst ourselves. We met with George Lucas before we started writing the script. These were things that were in real, not debate, but you look at the sort of vastness of the story and trying to figure out what is the way to conclude this. But it has to work on its own as a movie. It has to be its own thing. It has to be surprising and funny, and you have to understand it. You can’t assume anyone has sat and watched eight movies before this one. And yet, I want a kid to be able to watch Episodes I-IX and see that one story.”
It would certainly be interesting to learn what kind of input Lucas had into The Rise of Skywalker, particularly as Disney decided to jettison all of his original plans for the Sequel Trilogy when the studio first completed its acquisition of Lucasfilm.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is set for release on December 20th 2019 with J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) directing a cast that includes Star Wars veterans Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Lupita Nyong’o (Maz Kanata), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico), Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), Billie Lourd (Lieutenant Connix), Greg Grunberg (Snap Wexley), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian) and Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa) as well as new additions Naomi Ackie (Lady Mabeth), Richard E. Grant (Logan), Dominic Monaghan (Lost), and Keri Russell (The Americans).
Originally published April 17, 2019. Updated April 18, 2019.
