This article is aboutStar Wars Episodes VII,VIII, andIX. For the first trilogy of films that were produced after the original trilogy, seeStar Wars prequel trilogy.
TheStar Wars sequel trilogy, released between 2015 and 2019, is the third trilogy of the mainStar Wars franchise, an Americanspace opera created byGeorge Lucas. It is produced byLucasfilm Ltd. and distributed byWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The trilogy consists of episodesVII throughIX, chronologically following theprequel trilogy (Episodes I–III; 1999–2005) and theoriginal trilogy (Episodes IV–VI; 1977–1983), serving as the final act of the "Skywalker Saga". Lucas had planned a sequel trilogy as early as 1976, but canceled it by 1981. He produced only the first six episodes, and for a time described these as comprising the complete story. The sequel trilogy concept was revived whenthe Walt Disney Company entered negotiations to acquire Lucasfilm in 2011. Lucas produced new story treatments, but these were largely discarded. Both the acquisition and plans to produce the trilogy were announced in late 2012.
The trilogy follows the orphanRey and the plight of theResistance against theFirst Order, which has risen from the fallenGalactic Empire. Rey learns the ways ofthe Force underLuke Skywalker andLeia Organa, and confrontsKylo Ren—the son of Leia andHan Solo, nephew of Luke, and grandson ofAnakin Skywalker—who has fallen to thedark side. The first two films received positive reviews from critics, while the third received mixed reviews. The trilogy grossed over $4.4 billion at the box office worldwide, with each film surpassing $1 billion worldwide.
According toMark Hamill, who playsLuke Skywalker,Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas told him in 1976 that he planned three or fourStar Wars trilogies. Lucas suggested that Hamill could have acameo appearance role inEpisode IX, which he imagined filming by 2011.[1][2] ATime magazine story in March 1978, quoting Lucas, stated there would be tenStar Wars films afterThe Empire Strikes Back.[3][a]Gary Kurtz, the producer of the first two films, was aware of proposed story elements forEpisode VII toEpisode IX before 1980.[5][6] At the time of the release ofThe Empire Strikes Back (1980), Lucas said there were seven furtherStar Wars films he wanted to make. He said he had "twelve-page outlines" for those films.[7] In an interview withJim Steranko inPrevue magazine published in late 1980, Lucas described how the expansive scope ofStar Wars had started with an overlong screenplay:
So, I took the screenplay and divided it into three stories, and rewrote the first one. ... Then, I had the other two films, which were essentially split into three parts each, two trilogies. When the smoke cleared, I said, 'This is really great. I'll do another trilogy that takes place after this.' I had three trilogies of nine films, and then another couple of odd films.[a] ... It's a nine-part saga that has a beginning, a middle and an end. It progresses over a period of about fifty or sixty years with about twenty years between trilogies, each trilogy taking about six or seven years.[4]
By the time ofEpisode V: The Empire Strikes Back's release, Lucas had writtenstory treatments for all nineStar Wars episodes.[5] In 1999, Kurtz revealed a brief outline of these treatments:
Episode I would have explored the methodology of theJedi.
Episode II would have developed the backstory ofObi-Wan Kenobi.
Episode IV had already seen Luke decide to become a Jedi and Obi-Wan's final confrontation with Vader.
Episode V was filmed essentially as written.
Episode VI was to feature Leia as an isolated monarch, Han's death, and Luke showing down with Vader before exiling himself. Luke and Leia were not related.
Episode VII was to be the first part of a trilogy continuing the story of Luke as a Jedi.
Episode VIII would have featured Luke's sister (distinct from Leia).
Episode IX would introducethe Emperor and depict Luke's ultimate battle with him.[5]
In late 1980, Lucas stated that he had "titles and ten-page story outlines for each of" the nine episodes.[4] In an interview with the same magazine, Gary Kurtz explained that the total number of films or their content might change as they were produced.[8] Lucas similarly stated in an interview withStarlog magazine in September 1981 that he had the nine-film series plotted, but:
... it's a long way from the plot to the script. I've just gone through that withReturn of the Jedi, and what seems like a great idea when it's described in three sentences doesn't hold together when you try to make five or six scenes out of it. So plots change a lot when they start getting into script form.[9]
As part of his biographical research on George Lucas in the early 1980s, Lucas allowed authorDale Pollock to read the plot outlines of a 12-film saga on the condition of signing a confidentiality agreement.[10] Pollock said these sequel trilogy drafts would "involve Luke Skywalker in his 30s and 40s" and that they would be "The three most exciting stories ... They had propulsive action, really interesting new worlds, new characters."[10] Lucas's plans were drastically changed afterThe Empire Strikes Back was released, owing to the stress of producing the first three films as well as pressure from his wife,Marcia, to step back from this kind of filmmaking. By 1981, Lucas had decided to make only oneStar Wars trilogy.[11]
According to Gary Kurtz, details of elements from the discarded sequel trilogy which were incorporated intoReturn of the Jedi include:
Luke Skywalker becomes a full-fledged Jedi knight.
Luke's sister, who was originally meant to be a new character, was revealed to beLeia.
The Emperor would first appear and Luke would confront him.[5][6][12]
Through the 1980s, Lucas variously hinted at plot elements from his abandoned sequel trilogy, which he said would have revolved around moral and philosophical problems, including distinguishing right from wrong, justice, confrontation, and passing on what one has learned.[13][14] Ideas which seem to have been used in Disney's sequel trilogy include:
Episode VII would begin 20–40 years after the end ofReturn of the Jedi (Lucas in 1980 and 1982).[4][15]
R2-D2 andC-3PO would be the only characters to appear in all nine films (Lucas in 1980, 1981, and 1983).[4][16][17]
The key actors, Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Ford asHan Solo, and Fisher as Princess Leia, would appear in their 60s or 70s (Lucas in 1983).[18][13]
Lucas stated in 1980 that "what happens to Luke ... is much more ethereal. I have a tiny notebook full of notes on that."[19] Hamill said in 1983 that if his character were to return again, it would be "on another plane of existence, or not the same character."[20][21][b]
Ideas that were apparently not retained in Disney's sequel trilogy include:
The trilogy would deal with the rebuilding of theRepublic (Lucas in 1980).[22]
Luke might have had a romantic relationship with a female partner (Lucas in 1988).[23]
Timothy Zahn, who wrote theLegends non-canonicalThrawn trilogy of novels, was interviewed about the sequel trilogy after its development by Disney was announced in 2012. He confirmed that it was never meant to be based on his Thrawn trilogy nor the rest of theExpanded Universe, and said that he had been briefed years before on Lucas's plans for the sequels:
The original idea as I understood it—and Lucas changes his mind off and on, so it may not be what he's thinking right now—but it was going to be three generations. You'd have the original trilogy, then go back to Luke's father and find out what happened to him, and if there was another seventh, eighth, or ninth film, it would be Luke's children.[24]
In 1992, Lucas announced his intentions to produce aprequel trilogy.[25] When asked, he would frequently repeat that he had no plans to make the sequel trilogy and that he would not allow other directors to make it.[18][26][27] At a press conference for the 1997 Special Edition of the original trilogy, Lucas stated, "I don't have scripts [for the sequel trilogy]. The only notion on that was, wouldn't it be fun to get all the actors to come back when they're 60 or 70 years old and make three more about them as old people."[18] Also in 1997, he said: "[The whole story has] six episodes.... If I ever went beyond that, it would be something that was made up. I really don't have any notion other than, 'Gee, it would be interesting to do Luke Skywalker later on.' It wouldn't be a part of the main story, it would just be a sequel to this thing."[26] He further stated, "When you see it in six parts, you'll understand. It really ends at part six."[28][29]
On the possibility of someone else makingStar Wars films, Lucas said, "Probably not, it's my thing."[28][29] In August 1999, at a press conference to discussThe Phantom Menace, Lucas described the "nine-year commitment" required to make aStar Wars trilogy.[30] In 2002, he said: "Basically what I said as a joke was, 'Maybe when Harrison and Carrie are in their 70s, we'll come back and do another version.' The thing I didn't realize then, and that I do realize now very clearly, is that not only would they be in their 70s, butI would be in my 70s too."[31] He reiterated, "Ultimately, the saga will be six films, a 12-hour story. Then people can watch all six films together as they were intended to be seen."[32]
In 2007, Lucas described making the films at that age as "an idea that seemed amusing at the time, but doesn't seem realistic now", and suggested that "off-the-cuff" comments he had made in earlier years had been misconstrued as absolute statements.[33] In 2008, after all six films had been released, Lucas said: "The movies were the story of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker, and when Luke saves the galaxy and redeems his father, that's where that story ends."[34] In another 2008 interview, Lucas ruled out anybody else makingStar Wars films, and added that the Expanded Universe did not line up with his vision. Asked if he wanted newStar Wars films to be made after his death, he said: "I've left pretty explicit instructions for there not to be any more features. There will definitely be noEpisodes VII–IX. That's because there isn't any story. ... TheStar Wars story is really the tragedy of Darth Vader. That is the story."[35]
Sale of Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Company & Renewed development
In May 2011, Lucas was inOrlando, Florida, to celebrate the opening ofStar Tours – The Adventures Continue atWalt Disney World. He was invited to breakfast by Disney CEOBob Iger, who asked Lucas if he would be willing to sell his company to Disney. Lucas had begun to consider retiring, but was not ready to do so at that time.[36] Lucas considered directingEpisode VII for a May 2015 release[37] and then selling his company,[38] but decided to leave the franchise in the hands of other filmmakers, announcing in January 2012 that he would step away from making blockbuster films.[39]
In early 2012, after being disappointed by the weak performance ofRed Tails, Lucas announced toThe New York Times that he was planning to retire.[40] While he was in New York, he askedKathleen Kennedy to lunch. He asked if she would be aco-chair at Lucasfilm with him, with the intention of transferring leadership entirely to her after about a year. She began working for him on June 1, 2012; Lucas soon proposed that they work together on the sequel trilogy.[41] They brought inMichael Arndt to write a draft ofEpisode VII based on Lucas's synopsis.Star Wars screenwriting veteranLawrence Kasdan was hired to support Arndt.[c] After making an appearance atStar Wars Celebration VI in late August, Lucas took Mark Hamill andCarrie Fisher to lunch and asked if they would be willing to reprise their roles for the new films.[42][43] They agreed, as didHarrison Ford after being promised that Han Solo would be given meaningful closure.[42]
Details of his sequel trilogy treatments included the conclusion of theSkywalker family's story, with its third generation being portrayed in their twenties.[44][45] Lucas hoped to explain concepts he had imagined when he originally drafted his saga in the 1970s. Most specifically he revealed the "symbiotic relationships" between the Jedi,the Force, midi-chlorians (microscopic lifeforms, first mentioned onscreen in 1999'sThe Phantom Menace), and theWhills (all-powerful creatures first mentioned in the title of the original outline ofStar Wars,Journal of the Whills):[46]
[The next threeStar Wars films] were going to get into a microbiotic world. But there's this world of creatures that operate differently than we do. I call them the Whills. And the Whills are the ones who actually control the universe. They feed off the Force. Back in the day, I used to say ultimately what this means is we were just cars, vehicles, for the Whills to travel around in. We're vessels for them. And the conduit is the midi-chlorians. The midi-chlorians are the ones that communicate with the Whills. The Whills, in a general sense, they are the Force. ... But it's about symbiotic relationships. I think, personally, one of the core values we should have in the world, and kids should be taught, is ecology, to understand that we all are connected. (Lucas, 2018)[47]
By June 2012, Lucas had agreed to sell his company, provided that Kennedy would replace him as president of Lucasfilm. Iger agreed, while insisting that Disney would have final say over future movies.[48] Lucas's final stipulations before the sale in late 2012 were that his story treatments would be used and that the number of Disney employees who could read them would be limited.[49] Lucas gave Kennedy the final draft of his story treatments during the October 2012 sale.[50] The same month, the Disney sale and production of the sequel trilogy, as well as a 2015 release date for a new film, were announced to the public.[51] Lucas stated, "I always said I wasn't going to do any more, and that's true, because I'm not going to do any more. But that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to turn it over to Kathy to do more."[52] Both plot outlines, the one written in the 1980s and the one written in the early 2010s, were given to Iger around the time that Disney acquired Lucasfilm.[53]In January 2013, Lucas held the first story briefing about the as-yet untitledEpisode VII atSkywalker Ranch. Related concepts stemming from these early briefings include the following story elements:
A 14-year-old female Jedi Padawan named Taryn. Lucas also considered Thea and Winkie as potential names for the character.[54] The female Padawan was retained as the 19-year-oldRey.[d]
Another teenager named Skylar who befriends the protagonist and carries a blaster. He ultimately became the stormtrooper character, Finn. In at least one conception, Skylar was the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, and ultimately fell to the dark side of the Force (these plot developments were retained for the backstory of Ben Solo/Kylo Ren in the final iteration). However, in some drafts, this character was not anyone's son, and in others it was not decided whose son he was.[57][58][59][e]
The older Luke Skywalker[f] would have exiled himself to a remote planet where the first Jedi temple was located.[g] Luke would have started off reluctant to train the female Padawan, but eventually have a change of heart and agree to train her. Lucas planned for Luke to die inEpisode VIII.[64][65][66] Conversely, in 2018, Hamill said that Lucas' original vision for the ending ofEpisode IX was to have Luke die then instead of making a simple cameo, leaving his sister Leia as a Jedi.[67] Luke was going to appear with dialogue in the first film.[58][h]
One of the antagonists would be a character named Darth Talon (later revealed to be the femaleSith Lord from theStar Wars: Legacy comic book series),[68] who served a powerful master (codenamed "Uber" by the production team) and was responsible (in some versions of the story) for turning the son of Han and Leia to the dark side of the Force. Talon's role in the story was eventually subsumed into the role of Kylo Ren, and "Uber" became Supreme Leader Snoke.[58][59]
Darth Vader's castle, which Lucas had been developing since the preproduction phase ofThe Empire Strikes Back, would have been involved.[69]
In an interview published in 2020, Lucas says he decided not to work on the trilogy because he was "about to have a daughter" at the time and decided to "enjoy life for a while."[70][71] He also detailed more of his story treatments:
The trilogy would start a few years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi. According to Lucas, "we establish pretty quickly that there's this underworld, there are these offshoot stormtroopers who started their own planets, and that Luke is trying to restart the Jedi."[72][73]
Darth Maul would return with robotic legs (as had been established inStar Wars: The Clone Wars) and train the female Darth Talon as his apprentice.[68] According to Lucas, "She was the new Darth Vader and most of the action was with her. So these were the two main villains of the trilogy." Maul would become "thegodfather of crime in the universe because, as the Empire falls, he takes over."[74][73]
Leia is trying to rebuild the Republic and "get it under control from the gangsters." Lucas stated that "That was the main story."[72][73]
Luke "puts the word out, so out of 100,000 Jedi, maybe 50 or 100 are left. The Jedi have to grow again from scratch, so Luke has to find two- and three-year-olds, and train them. It'll be 20 years before you have a new generation of Jedi. By the end of the trilogy, Luke would have rebuilt much of the Jedi, and we would have the renewal of the New Republic, with Leia, Senator Organa, becoming the Supreme Chancellor in charge of everything. So she ended up being theChosen One."[72][73]
In April 2014, it was announced that "In order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe." The announcement stated that the only existing Star Wars material that would be considered part of the newcanon, would beEpisodes I–VI along withThe Clone Wars animated film and series.[75]
In 2015, Lucas revealed (to his disappointment) that his outlines had been discarded in order to "make something for the fans".[76][77]Episode VII writer and directorJ. J. Abrams later revealed that the same year, Disney had given him a mandate to discard Lucas's story and "start from scratch".[78][i]Episode VII: The Force Awakens was written by Lucasfilm veteran Lawrence Kasdan, along with J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt. Bob Iger's memoirs, published in 2019, recount that Lucas was upset after hearing the plot ofThe Force Awakens in meetings, specifically about elements that were derivative of the original 1977 film.[j] Lucas felt betrayed by Iger and Abrams because they discarded some of his sequel trilogy ideas.[82]
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi writer and directorRian Johnson's initial response to the script ofThe Force Awakens included the suggestion of minor adjustments to the ending. According to Abrams, these improved the movie and made it line up more withThe Last Jedi. Abrams intended for BB-8 to help Rey search for Luke, which Johnson changed to R2-D2 (due to his being Luke's droid, as well as BB-8 belonging to Poe and not knowing Luke).[83][84] Additionally, Abrams' ending featured Rey finding Luke lifting rocks with the Force, which was changed due to Johnson's plot of Luke having disconnected himself from the Force.[85] Johnson implied that his portrayal of the Force inThe Last Jedi was influenced by the "Mortis trilogy" of episodes fromThe Clone Wars, which he had rewatched early in the writing process on the advice ofThe Clone Wars supervising directorDave Filoni.[86][87] He also stated that he considered includingLando Calrissian in the film, possibly giving him the role of new character DJ (Benicio del Toro), but did not because it would have meant Lando betraying the characters without redemption.[88] Abrams creditedThe Last Jedi with influencing him to be more daring onThe Rise of Skywalker.[89]
Some reports indicate that, contrary to popular belief, some plot points across the trilogy were planned in advance. The idea of Luke Skywalker living on an island following his failure to stop the murder of his Jedi apprentices and then training an apprentice who would help him overcome his self-doubt was firstpitched by George Lucas in 2013 during creative meetings between himself and Lucasfilm as part of story discussions forEpisode VII (these ideas would later be used inThe Last Jedi).[90][91] Several plot points ofThe Rise of Skywalker were pitched in an early 2014 story meeting between Lucasfilm executives (including Dave Filoni,Pablo Hidalgo,Doug Chiang,John Knoll and Kiri Hart) after the plot ofThe Force Awakens had been finalized, including the notion of Leia as a mentor figure to Rey, Leia breaking through to her son Ben Solo (Kylo Ren) and the notion of Rey as "the Skywalker" of the trilogy by metaphor rather than blood connection.[92] The return of Emperor Palpatine inEpisode IX was planned as far back as the earliest development phase of the trilogy.[93] Similarly, Abrams hinted that Palpatine being Rey's grandfather was an early idea he and Lawrence Kasdan had while working onThe Force Awakens,[94] although Daisy Ridley later claimed that ideas for Rey's lineage changed throughout filming ofThe Rise of Skywalker.[95] Adam Driver claimed that back when shootingThe Force Awakens, Kylo Ren was not meant to be redeemed by the end of the trilogy, which was thecharacter arc Abrams had in mind at that moment, with Ren starting insecure about his commitment to the dark side before becoming the one most committed by the end of the trilogy in reversal to his grandfatherDarth Vader's arc in the original trilogy, noting that Johnson took that planned direction in consideration when shootingThe Last Jedi even though he took other decisions.[96]
Unlike the previous two trilogies, whose films were released approximately three years apart ahead ofMemorial Day weekend, the sequel films were released two years apart from each other in December.Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released on December 18, 2015, and introduces the 19-year-old orphan, Rey, who is drawn into the conflict between theResistance and theFirst Order, a ruthless military faction commanded byKylo Ren—the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo.[97] InThe Last Jedi, released on December 15, 2017, Rey is trained by Luke Skywalker, the last living Jedi, while again facing Ren and the First Order.The Rise of Skywalker was released on December 20, 2019, and features the conclusion of the age-old conflict between the Jedi and Sith, with Rey confronting the resurrected EmperorPalpatine.[98]
Fisher, Hamill, and Ford reprised their characters in supporting roles.
About 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker has vanished. The remnants of theEmpire have become the First Order, which seeks to destroy Luke and theNew Republic. The First Order is opposed by theResistance, led by General Leia Organa. On the planetJakku, Resistance pilotPoe Dameron obtains a map to Luke's location, but he is captured by First Order enforcer Kylo Ren—the son of Leia and Han Solo. Poe's droidBB-8 escapes with the map and encounters a scavenger named Rey. Rey andBB-8 team up with a defectingstormtrooper,Finn, along with Han Solo and Chewbacca, to deliver the map to the Resistance.[99]
Episode VII began development on October 30, 2012.[100][101][102] The screenplay for the film was originally set to be written by Michael Arndt,[103][104][105][106] but time management and creative differences contributed to his departure from the project.[107][108][109][110][n] On January 25, 2013, J. J. Abrams was officially announced asEpisode VII's director and producer, along with producerBryan Burk andBad Robot.[115] John Williams was hired to compose the music for the entire sequel trilogy.[116] In October, it was announced that writing duties would be taken over by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, co-writer ofThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi.[117]
George Lucas was set to provide Abrams with advice as a creative consultant; however, Lucas had no involvement, with his representative stating that he "ideally would love not to see any footage until he walks into the theater next December. He has never been able to be surprised by aStar Wars film before and he said he was looking forward to it."[53][118][119][120] Production began in April 2014;[121] it was released on December 18, 2015.[122] In the US, the film received aPG-13 rating "for sci-fi action violence" and the equivalentM rating in Australia,[123] the secondStar Wars film to receive that classification afterEpisode III – Revenge of the Sith.[124]
The film brokeopening weekend box office records in North America with $248 million ($39 million more than previous record holderJurassic World) and totals of $529 million worldwide, the largest opening ever. The film set another new record by becoming the first movie to break the $1 billion mark in box office sales in just 12 days.[125] It is currently the highest-grossing filmof all time in North America and thefourth highest-grossing film worldwide, unadjusted for inflation.[126]
After finding Luke Skywalker in self-imposed exile, Rey attempts to convince him to teach her the ways of the Force. She also seeks answers about her past and the conflict between Luke and his nephew Ben Solo (now Kylo Ren). Unbeknownst to Luke, Rey starts using the Force to communicate with Kylo. Meanwhile, Leia leads the Resistance as they are pursued by the First Order, led bySupreme Leader Snoke. Rey leaves Luke in an attempt to redeem Kylo and achieve peace. After Kylo kills Snoke, Rey is forced to choose between ruling the galaxy with him, or helping the outnumbered Resistance survive.[127]
On November 20, 2012,The Hollywood Reporter reported that Lawrence Kasdan andSimon Kinberg would write and produce EpisodesVIII andIX,[128] but were later confirmed to be writingstandalone films. On June 20, 2014,Looper director Rian Johnson was announced as the writer and director ofEpisode VIII;[129][130][131] he confirmed in August that he would direct.[132] On March 12, 2015, Lucasfilm announced that Johnson would directEpisode VIII withRam Bergman as producer.[133]
In March 2015, Oscar Isaac confirmed he would reprise his role as Poe Dameron inEpisode VIII.[134][135][136] In July, it was reported that Benicio del Toro was being considered for a villain;[137][138] he later confirmed that he had been cast.[139] In September, it was reported thatGugu Mbatha-Raw,Tatiana Maslany,Gina Rodriguez,Olivia Cooke, andBel Powley were on the shortlist for two separate parts.[140][141]Jimmy Vee was cast as R2-D2, succeedingKenny Baker, who would die the next year.[142][143] Some pre-production filming took place in September 2015 on the island ofSkellig Michael, Ireland to take advantage of better weather conditions.[144] Abrams revealed that the film's script was completed in a November 2015 interview withWired.[145] In December, Hamill, Isaac, Christie, and Boyega were confirmed to reprise their roles as Luke Skywalker, Poe Dameron, Captain Phasma, and Finn, respectively.[146][147][148][149] Kennedy announced at the December 17 London premiere ofThe Force Awakens that most of its cast would return forEpisode VIII.[150]
On January 20, 2016,Lucasfilm andDisney announced that the release of the film would be delayed from May to December 2017.[151] Three days later, the release date of December 15, 2017 was confirmed, as well as the titleStar Wars: The Last Jedi.[152][153] Principal photography began in February 2016;[154] additional filming took place inDubrovnik from March 9 to March 16,[155][156] as well as in Ireland in May.[157] Principal photography wrapped in July 2016.[158][159][160] Carrie Fisher died on December 27, 2016, but had completed filming her role as Leia.[161] Much of the filming took place atPinewood Studios nearLondon.[162][163] Kathleen Kennedy andRam Bergman were the producers and J. J. Abrams executive produced.
The Rise of Skywalker is the final film of the Skywalker saga,[164] featuring a climactic clash between the Resistance and the First Order, and the Jedi and the Sith.[165][166] The film is set a year followingThe Last Jedi and depicts the return of Palpatine,[167] who has been secretly controlling the First Order from the Sith planetExegol. Palpatine orders Kylo Ren to find and kill Rey, who is revealed to be Palpatine's granddaughter.[168] Palpatine unveils the Final Order, a Sith armada ofStar Destroyers, to reclaim the galaxy. Rey and the Resistance learn of Palpatine's return and embark on a quest to find him. They eventually locate Exegol; Rey confronts Palpatine, while the Resistance attack the Sith fleet.[169]
In June 2014, Johnson was announced as writing a story treatment forEpisode IX,[130] but later stated he had not been involved with writing the film.[170] In August 2015,Colin Trevorrow was announced as the director ofEpisode IX,[171] and he, withDerek Connolly, began writing a script draft secretly titledStar Wars: Duel of the Fates.[172] Many elements from that draft survived into the actual film.[173][174][175][176][177] In February 2016, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that pre-production ofEpisode IX had begun.[178]
Following the death of Carrie Fisher in late December 2016, media outlets speculated on whether her role would be recast forEpisode IX and whether the absence of her character would affect the film's plot.[179][180][181] A few weeks later, Lucasfilm stated that they would not digitally recreate Fisher's performance for the film.[182] In April 2017, Kathleen Kennedy stated that Fisher would not be inEpisode IX,[183] but it was later announced that Fisher would in fact appear using unreleased footage fromThe Force Awakens.[184] In August, it was reported thatJack Thorne would rewrite the script.[185]
John Williams, composer of thescores for the film trilogies, has stated thatThe Rise of Skywalker will be his last involvement with the franchise.
In September 2017, Lucasfilm announced that Trevorrow had stepped down as director,[186][187] and a week later, it was announced that J. J. Abrams would return to directEpisode IX. Heco-wrote the script withChris Terrio, in addition to producing the film throughBad Robot with Kennedy andMichelle Rejwan.[188][189] Disney had originally scheduled the film's release for December 2019, in keeping with the previous two sequel trilogy films, but then moved it up to May 24, a time of the year more common to the first sixStar Wars episodes.[190] However, after Abrams' return, its release date was moved back to December.[191][192]
On January 10, 2018, it was reported thatJohn Williams would return to compose and conduct the music forEpisode IX.[193][194] The next month, Williams announced that it would be the lastStar Wars film music he would compose.[195]
On July 6, 2018, it was reported thatKeri Russell was in early talks for a role inEpisode IX.[196] On July 9,The Hollywood Reporter reported thatBilly Dee Williams was confirmed to reprise the role of Lando Calrissian.[197] On July 27, the official casting announcement was made, including the return of Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac,Lupita Nyong'o,Domhnall Gleeson,Kelly Marie Tran,Joonas Suotamo,Billie Lourd, Mark Hamill, andAnthony Daniels, withNaomi Ackie andRichard E. Grant joining the cast. The same announcement confirmed Williams' return and that Carrie Fisher would posthumously portray Leia Organa using unreleased footage fromThe Force Awakens.[198][199][200] Lucasfilm also initially had plans to include unseen footage of Fisher fromThe Last Jedi, but it was ultimately not used in the film.[201][202] It was announced later the same day that Russell had joined the cast.[203] On April 12, at the2019 Star Wars Celebration, the title forEpisode IX was confirmed to beThe Rise of Skywalker. Principal photography began on August 1, 2018, and wrapped on February 15, 2019.The Rise of Skywalker was released in the United States on December 20, 2019.[204][191]
According to J. J. Abrams and Chris Terrio, the trilogy's core theme is about learning from the previous generation, akin to the Americans in theWar of 1812, who preserved what was fought for in theAmerican Revolutionary War.[205] On the inspiration for the First Order formed "from the ashes of the Empire", Abrams spoke of conversations the writers had about how theNazis could haveescaped to Argentina afterWorld War II and "started working together again."[206]
Polygon considers thatThe Last Jedi's portrayal of Luke Skywalker as apacifist Jedi master reflects the Jedi's beliefs as being inspired by theBuddhist religion due to the character's inner conflict towards using a lightsaber and seeing it as a weapon of destruction.[207][208]The Last Jedi features scenes recallingAkira Kurosawa'sRashomon (1950), utilizing theRashomon effect when Luke tells Rey that he considered murdering his nephew, Ben Solo, due to sensing his inevitable fall to the dark side. Later, Kylo recounts his perspective, which prompts Luke to tell a third, combined perspective of the event.[209]
According to Adam Driver, Kylo Ren is "morally justified in doing what he thinks is right".[210]The Rise of Skywalker depicts Kylo Ren having his helmet repaired following its destruction inThe Last Jedi. Abrams compared the fractured mask toKintsugi, a Japanese ceramic art of repairing broken pottery which accentuates the breakage. While the helmet obscures his vulnerabilities inThe Force Awakens, its fractured form inThe Rise of Skywalker instead communicates the fractured nature of his character.[211] Kylo overcomes and kills his father inThe Force Awakens before reconciling with his memory of him inThe Rise of Skywalker; according to Terrio, this reconciliation represents the "Atonement with the Father" stage of thehero's journey,[212] which theStar Wars films are heavily patterned on.[213]
Rey's journey mirrors that of Anakin and Luke in the prequel and original trilogies.[214] The final scene ofThe Last Jedi depicts servant children playing with a toy of Luke, with one boy using the Force to grab a broom. According toInverse, this symbolizes that "the Force can be found in people with humble beginnings."[215] A writer for the same website interprets the end ofThe Rise of Skywalker as seeing Rey "bury the past" and rejecting "any power her grandfather held over her" in a completion of the hero's journey.[216]
The sequel trilogy experienced diminishing box office returns with each succeeding film. Nevertheless, it is the highest-grossing trilogy of the franchise overall, withThe Force Awakens ranking as thesixth-highest-grossing film of all time.
George Lucas agreed with critics who consideredThe Force Awakens too derivative of the original trilogy. In an interview withCharlie Rose, Lucas likened his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney to a divorce, and outlined the creative differences between him and the producers ofThe Force Awakens. Lucas described the previous sixStar Wars films as his "children" and defended his vision for them, while criticizingThe Force Awakens for having a "retro feel", saying: "I worked very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships ... to make it new." Lucas also likened Disney to "white slavers", which drew some criticism. He subsequently apologized for this remark.[224][225] In 2016, responding to the complaints of derivativeness,[j] Abrams said, "What was important for me was introducing brand new characters using relationships that were embracing the history that we know to tell a story that is new – to go backwards to go forwards".[226][o] The same year, the Disney-producedStar Wars anthology filmRogue One was released, and it was reported that Lucas liked it more thanThe Force Awakens.[228] In 2017, Lucas described the sequelThe Last Jedi as "beautifully made".[229][230]
Marcia Lucas, George Lucas's ex-wife, who was an editor of all three original films and won anOscar for her work on the first, criticized the Disney sequels in an interview withJ. W. Rinzler for his posthumous final book,Howard Kazanjian: A Producer's Life. She stated that Kennedy and Abrams "don't get" the franchise, particularly criticizing the deaths of Han and Luke, as well as the lack of an explanation for Rey's powers.[231][232]
The sequel trilogy has received a generally positive reception from critics, being collectively lauded for its emotional weight,[241][242][243][244][245] lead performances,[242][243][246][247][248] andvisual effects (including the focus onpractical effects).[241][246][248] However, several have criticized it for being derivative of the original trilogy.[246][249][250] Individually, praise has been directed atThe Force Awakens for embracing the spirit of the original trilogy,[244][251] andThe Last Jedi for its direction and willingness to take risks.[241][252] In contrast,The Rise of Skywalker received criticism for its perceived retconning of the plot, characterization, and themes ofThe Last Jedi, attributed to appeasing a segment of the fanbase[253][254] to whom the film hadproved controversial.[255][256]
Retrospectively, critics and publications have labelled the fan response to the sequel trilogy as divisive, particularly as a result of the final two installments.[249][231][257] Some have commented on the apparent lack of planning for the trilogy's overarching story,[253][258] feeling that the films appear inconsistent and contradictory from the differing visions of directors J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson;[255][259][260] the latter was alleged to have been given complete creative control forThe Last Jedi.[261][262][263]CNBC andPaste Magazine criticized the decision not to use ashowrunner to helm the trilogy.[261][263]
In addition to a vast campaign of tie-in media including adaptations and theJourney toStar Wars publishing campaign (released in anticipation of each film), a number of other spin-offs have been released, altogether fleshing out characters and story elements from the trilogy (including some which were cut from it) and tying into earlier eras.[264][265] Some sources have also pointed out that streaming seriesThe Mandalorian and its spin-offs will likely set up the events of the sequel trilogy.[266]
In November 2021, Kathleen Kennedy revealed that Lucasfilm creatives had been having conversations regarding the future of the trilogy's characters.[267] AtStar Wars Celebration Europe IV in 2023, a new film directed bySharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was announced that will follow Rey as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events ofThe Rise of Skywalker. Ridley is set to reprise her role as Rey.[268] Kennedy also hinted at the possibility of other Sequel Trilogy characters coming back.[269]
^abThe figure of twelve films discussed by Lucas in 1980 included "a film about robots, with no humans in it" and "a film just about Wookiees, nothing else".[4]
^Kasdan would also support Lucas in developing aHan Solo prequel, finished under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy.
^This character was described by screenwriter Michael Arndt as a "loner, hothead, gear-headed, badass."[55]J. J. Abrams initially gave her the placeholder name of 'Sally' during pre-production, but as development on the film continued, her name was changed to Kira (which was retained as a production code for the character), then Echo, and finally Rey.[56] The phonetically similar nameQi'ra would be used for the girlfriend of a young Han Solo in the anthology filmSolo: A Star Wars Story.
^Michael Arndt described the character as "pure charisma."[55] J. J. Abrams initially gave him the placeholder name of 'Harry' during pre-production, but as development on the film continued, his name was changed to Sam and then, ultimately, to Finn.[56]
^Luke was going to be a "Colonel Kurtz type, hiding from the world in a cave".[60] Luke was going to be in a self-imposed exile, haunted by the betrayal of one of his students, and spiritually in "a dark place".[61][62][57]
^The first Jedi temple concept art was bell-shaped, and designed by VFX art director James Clyne.[63] This would be reworked as the temple onAhch-To.
^After Lucas's departure, Michael Arndt had the idea to make Luke's first appearance a speechless cameo at the end of the first film.[58]
^Disney was faced with the challenge of pleasing devotedStar Wars fans more so than with the company's other franchises.[79]
^Also known asStar Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens or simplyThe Force Awakens
^Also known asStar Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi or simplyThe Last Jedi
^Also known asStar Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker or simplyThe Rise of Skywalker
^Concept art possibly based on Arndt's draft shows Kira (Rey) searching for the underwater remnants of thesecond Death Star.[111] This idea may have been repurposed forThe Rise of Skywalker, as it depicts Rey in the remnants of the second Death Star, which rest in a watery environment.[112][113][114]
^In 2017, Abrams said he would not do more remakes or reboots, to instead focus on his own creations, saying: "You know, I do think that if you're telling a story that is not moving anything forward, not introducing anything that's relevant, that's not creating a new mythology or an extension of it, then a complete remake of something feels like a mistake."[227]
^abGary Kurtz (November 11, 2002)."An Interview with Gary Kurtz".IGN (Interview). Interviewed by Ken P.Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2012.
^Vallely, Jean (June 12, 1980)."The Empire Strikes Back".Rolling Stone.Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. RetrievedDecember 15, 2019.
^Steranko, Jim (September–October 1980). "Gary Kurtz".Prevue. No. 42.
^Clarke, Gerald (May 19, 1980)."The Empire Strikes Back!".Time. Vol. 115, no. 20.Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 26, 2012.
^"George Lucas Speaks on 'The Force Awakens'".YouTube.com. Tribeca Film Festival. April 21, 2015.Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. RetrievedMarch 29, 2019.What are your hopes for the newStar Wars movies...? / ...The original saga was about the father, the children, and the grandchildren. That's not a secret to anybody, that's even in the novels and everything. And the children were in their twenties, so it wasn'tPhantom Menace again. And they [Disney] have taken it in a different direction. And I'm hoping, I'm excited to see, since they didn't use my stories, I have no idea what they're doing.
^Frakes, Randall; Peck, Brooks; Perkowitz, Sidney; Singer, Matt; Wolfe, Gary K.; Yaszek, Lisa (2018).James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction. Insight Editions. pp. 109, 114.ISBN978-1-68383-497-7.
^Leonard, Devin (March 7, 2013)."How Disney Bought Lucasfilm—and Its Plans for 'Star Wars'".Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived fromthe original on September 30, 2017. RetrievedMarch 28, 2019.In May 2011 ... Iger inquired whether Lucas would ever consider selling his company. Lucas replied that he'd recently celebrated his 67th birthday and was starting to think seriously about retiring. ... Lucas had paid close attention to how Disney had handled Pixar ... He calls Disney's decision not to meddle with Pixar 'brilliant'. If he sold Lucasfilm to Disney, he figured there might still be a way to retain some influence over his fictitious universe. Much would depend on who ran Lucasfilm after he retired. He invited Kathleen Kennedy to lunch in New York. ... Lucas asked if she was interested in taking over Lucasfilm. ... In June 2012, he called Iger. ... Still, Iger wanted to make sure that Lucas, who was used to controlling every aspect of Star Wars, from set design to lunchboxes, understood that Disney, not Lucasfilm, would have final say over any future movies. ... Lucas agreed, in theory.
^abDavis, Grant (January 4, 2018)."Pablo Hidalgo Sheds More Light On George Lucas's Influence On The Sequel Trilogy".Star Wars News Net.Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. RetrievedDecember 6, 2020.Skyler and Kira (and Kira wasn't the first proposed name either; she had at least two others) became, after a fashion, Finn and Rey. The Jedi Killer morphed from Talon corrupting the son to becoming the son. Uber became Snoke.
^"How George Lucas' Star Wars 7 Ideas Were Used By Disney".Cinema Blend. 2015.Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. RetrievedFebruary 10, 2015.The ones that I sold to Disney, they came up to the decision that they didn't really want to do those. So they made up their own. So it's not the ones that I originally wrote [on screen inThe Force Awakens.]
^Perry, Spencer (July 27, 2018)."BREAKING: Star Wars: Episode IX Cast Officially Announced!".ComingSoon.net.Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. RetrievedJuly 27, 2018.Star Wars: Episode IX will begin filming at London's Pinewood Studios on August 1 with returning to direct the final installment of the Skywalker saga.
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