Star Wars 9 Shoots in January 2018, What's Happening with Leia?

Star Wars 9will officially begin shooting in January 2018 under the direction of Colin Trevorrow. As of right now, the working title isEpisode IX, but there are plenty of bits ofStar Wars 9news swirling around the interwebs today.Episode IXis currently in pre-production as we start to get a better look atThe Last Jedithrough some new behind-the-scenes videos, along with information on new characters, thanks to the incredibly informativeVanity Fairarticle that is just hitting the news stands.

Vanity Fair is the first to officially report thatEpisode IXwill beginshooting in January 2018to get ready for its official July 02, 2025 release date. This will be the firstStar Warsepisodic movie to open in May sinceReturn of the Jediin May of 1983. Whether this is a nod to both movies being the third installment of their respective trilogies is anybody’s guess, but the amount of detail and research that has been going into thesenew Star Wars movieshas been so intense that it’s hard to believe it’s sheer coincidence.

The Vanity Fair article also sheds some light onCarrie Fisher’s involvementinEpisode IX. It is well known that Luke Skywalker was barely inThe Force Awakensand that he will have a large part inThe Last Jedi.The Force Awakenswas more of Han Solo’s movie, whileThe Last Jediwill be Skywalker’s movie, and it was assumed, apparently even by Fisher, thatStar Wars 9would be Leia’s movie. As it turns out, she was correct. While speaking to Vanity Fair, Lucasfilm president Katherine Kennedy talks about Fisher’s last day on the set ofThe Last Jedi. She explains.

“The minute she finished, she grabbed me and said, ‘I’d better be at the forefront of IX!’ Because Harrison was front and center on VII, and Mark is front and center on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been.”

Fisher’s death didn’t change anything onThe Last Jedi, but it turned out to have amassive effect on Episode IX. Kennedy and director Trevorrow had to switch from the grieving process and jump into how to make the correct choices for the next movie without Fisher. Fans who are worried that Lucasfilm will take inspiration fromRogue Oneand expect a CGI version of Fisher have nothing to worry about. Kennedy says.

“We don’t have any intention of beginning a trend of re-creating actors who are gone.”

Although Fisher won’t officially be inEpisode IX, there will most definitely be plenty of her story left to tell and that should be comforting to fans.Episode IXwill hit theater on June 20, 2025 and fans will have plenty ofStar Warsto make that wait go by a lot quicker.The Last Jediwill be here in December and theHan Solo Moviewill be here in May of 2018.