With The Last Jedi proving divisive with the fanbase and Solo providing the Star Wars franchise with its first outright box office bomb, you’d be forgiven for being a little concerned about the future of the space saga, but according to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn, the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX is going to be something special.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the industry executive was asked if J.J. Abrams’ next film will get the series back on track, prompting Horn to recall his visit to the set and his continuing correspondence with Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy:
“I just got back from the United Kingdom, which is not so united. (Laughs.) I went to the set, and was with J.J. [Abrams], Kathy and the cast. I watched a couple of scenes being shot and then we all had dinner. I have not seen a cut of it yet, but I watch dailies every weekend and send J.J. and Kathy a note every weekend. It’s a big deal, and it’s going to be terrific.”
Obviously, the Disney chairman is no one’s idea of an impartial source, but he’s hardly the first person recall good things from the set of the film, with multiple reports alleging that the production will deliver spectacle on a scale previously unseen for the series. As for what the next Star Wars movie after Episode IX might be, Horn simply stated that “it’s all in discussion.”
No doubt the box office performance of Abrams’ film will prove influential in shaping the future of the franchise, but for now, it’s currently looking like Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. could be next in line to deliver a trilogy of their own. Either way, here’s hoping Lucasfilm can offer some clarification at this year’s Star Wars Celebration in April.
In the meantime, we’re still waiting to see some footage from Star Wars: Episode IX, and while last Friday’s announcement that principal photography had finally wrapped has got fans hoping that a title reveal might be imminent, Abrams has yet to do the honors. Regardless, we’ll see if Horn is right to be optimistic about the movie when it arrives in theaters on December 20th, 2019.