For his first tweet on a new Twitter account, Star Wars: Episode IX director J.J. Abrams marked the start of filming and addressed the bittersweet moment of proceeding without Carrie Fisher around to portray Leia Organa. He also shared a photo from the set, of what looks like it may be the Millennium Falcon interior with John Boyega (Finn) and someone else, likely Daisy Ridley (Rey).
Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go. Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX pic.twitter.com/FOfnGwVut5
— JJ Abrams (@jjabrams) August 1, 2018
If you can’t read that, it says:
“Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go. Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX”
Abrams’ social media accounts will be used to share photos and thoughts throughout the production process. So stay tuned.
As was recently announced, Carrie Fisher will appear in episode IX via discarded footage from The Force Awakens. Also back from the original trilogy are Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams. The rest of the cast includes regulars from Episodes VII and VIII: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Fisher’s daughter, Bille Lourd.
There are just 505 days until the next (and last?) installment of the Star Wars Skywalker Saga opens on December, 20, 2019.
Previously: Mark Hamill tweets about his on-screen sister as cast of Star Wars: Episode IX revealed.