Now that Rian Johnson’s sequel has been booked in for Star Wars Celebration in April, we’re beginning to learn more and more about Star Wars: The Last Jedi and, perhaps most exciting of all, the kind of galactic adventure it’ll entail.
Set immediately after the events of The Force Awakens, we already know that Johnson’s 2017 follow-up will circle back to the planet Anch-To, home of the first Jedi temple and, at least for the past few years, a certain Luke Skywalker. Mark Hamill is back on board as the all-powerful (last?) Jedi, and will once again share the screen with Daisy Ridley’s Rey. After tapping into her newfound abilities two years ago, Ridley’s heroine is poised for a major arc in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and new promo material for Rian Johnson’s sequel (see below) offers a fleeting glimpse of the actress in battle mode, lightsaber in tow.
Sporting a new hairstyle, Rey is flanked by Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) in the product picture, which was unveiled today as part of Disney’s Force Friday II, a line of merchandise set to coincide with The Last Jedi. It’s being readied for a launch in September, but Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, offered up a brief tease of what to expect.
“The first Star Wars Force Friday event was truly unique, uniting fans across five continents in an unprecedented global live unboxing event ahead of thousands of midnight openings at retail. We’re excited to confirm that Star Wars Force Friday is back for The Last Jedi. Plans for this year’s worldwide event are top secret, but expect something befitting the excitement around the next episode of the Star Wars saga.”
Following up on The Force Awakens and Rogue One, Star Wars: The Last Jedi will zoom into theaters on December 15th. It’ll be followed in quick succession by Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s as-yet-untitled Han Solo anthology film, before the Mouse House beckons fans back to the core Skywalker saga in time for Colin Trevorrow’s Star Wars: Episode IX arriving in theaters in 2019.
