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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
The Journey to Episode IX Begins
little over 20 years ago,
the fi rst teaser trailer for Star
Wars: The Phantom Menace
(1999) informed expectant
audiences all over the world that “Every
saga has a beginning...” Roll forward to
Star Wars Celebration 2019, and the
debut of another new teaser trailer—this
time for Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker—which reminded us that the
enthralling Skywalker saga would reach
its shattering climax this December.
The reveal of the two-minute trailer
was met with cheers, tears, and an
enthusiastic welcome by the audience
of lucky fans packed into the Wintrust
Arena on Friday April 12, 2019. Having
already been treated to a star studded
Episode IX panel on the Celebration
Stage, a surprise appearance by Ian
McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine) after the
trailer had rolled proved to be the icing
on the cake, as he delivered three simple
words in the voice of his evil alter ego:
“Roll it again.”
Hosted by Stephen Colbert, the
Episode IX panel saw The Rise of
Skywalker’s co-writer and director, J.J.
Abrams, and Lucasfi lm President
Kathleen Kennedy, answer Colbert’s
questions about the movie before cast
members Anthony Daniels (C-3PO),Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn),
Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Billy Dee
Williams (Lando Calrissian), Kelly Marie
Tran (Rose Tico), Joonas Suotamo
(Chewbacca), and Naomi Ackie (Jannah),
joined them on stage to talk about their
experiences making the fi lm. There were
even special guest appearances from
R2-D2, BB-8, and cute new droid
companion D-O.
With the movie deep in post-
production, and an evident enthusiasm to
keep its storyline secret until its December
19 release in theaters, Abrams would only
reveal that some time has passed for the
characters since the events of Star Wars:8 / STAR WARS INSIDER
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