It was always a given that director J.J. Abrams would aim to go big for the grand finale of the Sequel Trilogy, but over these past few months, multiple reports from the set of Star Wars: Episode IX have suggested that the spectacle will unfold on a level never seen before in the space saga. And thanks to a recent episode of the Now, This Is Podcasting! show, it seems we have one more testament to the scale of this production.
The host of the podcast relayed reports from inside sources who say that shooting for the next Star Wars film has been reduced to small skeleton crews, indicating that the principle photography stage is currently in its winding down period. Nonetheless, it’s said that the film is also undergoing extensive reshoots that will incorporate “so many big, epic battles” on sets that are “so f**king colossal compared to what they did in the past.”
The host also mentions that key parts of the movie hadn’t been completely fleshed out during principle photography, since writing was happening as the production went along. But in case you’re worried that this is another case of Solo-style turmoil behind the scenes, the host stresses that such reshoots were planned and budgeted for.
Those last claims seem pretty in line with Oscar Isaac’s remarks last year that the atmosphere feels “looser” on the set, with the team showing more willingness to test out ideas and try new things. We’ll see if the approach pays off when Star Wars: Episode IX hits theaters on December 20th, 2019, but in the meantime, we’re still hoping for a title reveal in the next few weeks.
