BB-8 has always served as an obvious successor to R2-D2 in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy – especially in The Force Awakens, when the original comic relief droid was out of action – but according to a recent report from Making Star Wars, the little ball-bot could be getting a sidekick of its own in next year’s Star Wars: Episode IX.
The article claims that this new addition to the Resistance will go by the name of “Dio,” but before metal fans get too excited, this might also be spelled “D.O.” In any case, the Droid’s shape has been compared to a megaphone, and was allegedly described by someone at Pinewood as an “ugly duckling” type who treats BB-8 as a parent of sorts.
While there’s yet to be any confirmation of the new character, this seems like a plausible enough idea, not least because Disney will be looking to sell some more toys . And if the rumor is true that Porgs will have little-to-no presence in the picture, then there could well be a slot open for another cute little supporting player.
From Keri Russell to Richard E. Grant, J.J. Abrams looks to be bringing quite a few new faces into the fold for the Sequel Trilogy’s grand finale, but you can bet that the real emotional core of the movie will be saved for series regulars like Rey and Kylo Ren, while hopefully giving a fitting send-off to the likes of Luke Skywalker and General Leia, the latter of whom will be appearing only in unused footage from the first two films.
We’ll find out how Abrams fares in juggling characters old and new when Star Wars: Episode IX hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.