Last August, it was reported that filming on Star Wars: Episode IX was expected to wrap by this coming February, and according to a new rumor courtesy of the Now This Is Podcasting! show, the movie seems to be more or less on schedule.
The podcast reports that shooting for Episode IX has now been reduced to small skeleton crews, indicating that production is currently in its winding down period. It’s also mentioned that the film has been subject to heavy reshoots, though seeing how director J.J. Abrams is still at the helm, we can probably assume that this wasn’t as drastic a do-over as the treatments received by Rogue One or Solo.
In any case, given the amount of pressure that Episode IX is under, you couldn’t blame Lucasfilm for being meticulous in their approach. As well as having to bring the Sequel Trilogy to a satisfying conclusion while also wrapping up the decades-spanning arcs of Original Trilogy characters like Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker, Abrams’ film is also charged with steering the franchise commercially back on track after Solo gave the property its first box office bomb. Throw in the continuing conflict in the fanbase over The Last Jedi, and some extensive reshoots seem only natural for a feature that’ll be drawing some intense scrutiny upon release.
In any case, details currently remain vague on the upcoming flick, though it’s a popular prediction right now that a title reveal is coming in the next few weeks. After that, the film’s first trailer could still be a few months away, but all will be revealed regardless when Star Wars: Episode IX hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.