STAR WARS: EPISODE IX Cast Announced, Carrie Fisher to Appear

The Skywalker Saga is coming to an end.

StarWars.com has officially announced the cast for Star Wars: Episode IX, which begins filming at London’s Pinewood Studios on August 1, 2018.  J.J. Abrams will return to direct the final installment, co-writing the screenplay with Chris Terrio.

According to the announcement, the returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd.  New Episode IX cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell.  

In addition, veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels will reprise their characters of Luke Skywalker (presumably as a Force ghost) and C-3PO, along with Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian.

And thankfully, the role of General 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," said 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."

Even better, composer John Williams, who has scored every chapter in the Skywalker Saga since the original Star Wars film in 1977, will return to score Episode IX, presumably his final Star Wars film.

Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan, and executive produced by Callum Greene and Jason McGatlin.  The crew includes Dan Mindel (Director of Photography), Rick Carter and Kevin Jenkins (Co-Production Designers), Michael Kaplan (Costume Designer), Neal Scanlan (Creature and Droid FX), Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube (Editors), Roger Guyett (VFX Supervisor), Tommy Gormley (1st AD), and Victoria Mahoney (2nd Unit Director).

Star Wars Episode IX is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 20, 2019.