April 12 (UPI) — The cast and crew of “Star Wars: Episode IX” offered some clues about the secretive film including a teaser trailer and a title: “The Rise of Skywalker.”
The Stephen Colbert-moderated panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago featured director J.J. Abrams, producer Kathleen Kennedy and cast members including Daisy Ridley, Billy Dee Williams, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Kelly Marie Tran dropping hints about the latest entry in the Star Wars saga, due out Dec. 20.
The participants dropped some new information about the secretive saga, including a name for newcomer Naomi Ackie’s character, Jannah.
“The original group are going on this epic, epic adventure together and I’m so excited about where Jannah crosses paths with them,” Ackie said.
Ackie was tight-lipped about speculation that her character could be the daughter of Lando, played by returning original trilogy star Williams.
Other revelations included a confirmation that Ridley’s Rey is still in possession of the lightsaber she inherited from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
The panel concluded with the first showing of the teaser trailer, which ended with the film’s full title: “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.”
The trailer featured newly minted Jedi Rey preparing for battle against a Tie Fighter on a desert planet, as well as brief shots of the rest of the film’s stars and a voice-over by Hamill. The trailer closes with the sound of Emperor Palpatine, thought dead at the end of 1983’s “Return of the Jedi,” laughing cryptically.
Actor Ian McDiarmid, who played Palpatine — aka Sith Lord Darth Sidious — in the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, then made a brief appearance on stage before the trailer played for a second time, ending the panel discussion.
