The General will return.
Lucasfilm
It's official, we'll be seeing Carrie Fisher onscreen as Leia once again and Billy Dee Williams will be back as Lando Calrissian in the final installment of the Skywalker saga. The two will be joined by Star Wars veterans Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels.
Newly announced members include: Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth, The Five) and Richard E. Grant (Logan, Downton Abbey) in as-yet unnamed roles.
Writer director J.J. Abrams said of including Leia once again: "Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie's legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII."
Ackie and Grant join the returning characters for Episode 9, which include: Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Lupita Nyong'o Maz Kanata, Domhnall Gleeson General Hux, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Joonas Suotamo as Chewie, and Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd.
It will begin filming at London's Pinewood Studios next week on Aug. 1 with a script co-written by Abrams with Chris Terrio. Terrio is best known for his work on Justice League and Argo.
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Star Wars: Episode 9 still has no "official" title, but arrives Dec. 2019.
Everything we know about Star Wars: Episode 9: In December 2019, J.J. Abrams will close out the Star Wars trilogy he kicked off with The Force Awakens.
