Star Wars Episode 9 release date: When is Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker out in cinemas?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has begun its ascent to cinemas. At the Star Wars Celebration event which is in its final day today, April 15, in Chicago, the first teaser footage and the title for the film were announced. The Episode 9 panel gave fans a lot more information, albeit vague, about the final chapter in a 40 year, nine movie saga.

When is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker out in cinemas?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is out in UK cinemas on Thursday, December 19, 2019.

Those in the USA will have to wait one more day, with a release date of December 20, 2019.

The Rise of Skywalker debuts worldwide over these two days, so the likelihood of spoilers surfacing for other territories is minimised.

Disney’s CEO Bob Iger confirmed pre-production on Episode IX began on February 2016.

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The Rise of Skywalker went through a few changes in director and screenwriter before landing on JJ Abrams as director, co-writing the screenplay with Chris Terrio.

Episode 9 was initially given the working title Black Diamond, which then changed to Trixie.

Fans have been waiting for the trailer and title since the ending of The Last Jedi but many were also wary of how The Rise of Skywalker would wrap up the story of Leia Organa.

Carrie Fisher’s unexpected death in 2016 threw her character’s arc into question.

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However, JJ Abrams revealed unused footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi would be repurposed for The Rise of Skywalker to give Leia’s character the final performance she deserved.

At the Star Wars Episode 9 panel, Abrams said: “It was impossible to replace her. You don’t recast that part and you don’t suddenly have her disappear.

“The idea of saying what if we could write scenes around her, so it would be her performance.

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“She’s in the movie. The crazy thing is, and I say this emotionally, every day it hits me that she’s not here.

“But it’s so surreal because we’re working with her still. She’s in scenes, she’s so alive in scenes and the craziest part is how not crazy it feels.

“Princess Leia lives in this film in a way that is mind-blowing to me.”

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in cinemas on December 19, 2019.