After a weekend of exciting footage and revelations at D23 in Anaheim, California, a new trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released to the world.
It's every bit the twist-filled, visually stunning, teaser that everyone has come to expect. It begins with a stroll down memory lane, from Luke Skywalker's humble beginnings to Darth Vader's legacy and impact on Kylo Ren before finally leading into what looks to be one of the biggest twists the saga has ever seen: Rey's fall from noble hero to Dark Jedi.
A lot of questions will remain unanswered, likely until the release of the film, however the teaser does set the tone of The Rise of Skywalker and remind us -- with shots our three heroes together, formidable armadas and a lightsaber duel between Kylo Ren and Rey -- that this is the end.
This is it. Episode IX will be the conclusive instalment of an iconic saga that began in 1977 and reshaped the sci-fi genre in cinema forever. On top of that, the film will also feature the late Carrie Fisher's final cinematic performance, using a combination of completed scenes and unused footage from previous instalments.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Matt Smith, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film arrives on Dec. 20.