Director J.D. Dillard made a cameo appearance in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Dillard is an up and coming director who, at this point in his career, has only directed two feature-length films: Sleight and Sweetheart. It seems as if the director is soon getting the biggest opportunity of his career as it was announced a few days ago that Dillard would helm a new Star Wars movie. Virtually nothing is known about the project thus far, except for the fact that Luke Cage writer Matt Owens will be penning the script. It has also been rumored that it could be the first Star Wars movie to release on Disney+.
While directing a Star Wars movie is something many directors become known for, many of them cameo in other Star Wars movies. Director cameos go back before the sequel and even the prequel trilogy. Return of the Jedi director Richard Marquand cameoed in his film back 1983, and George Lucas gave his family cameos in all three of the prequel films before he appeared in Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith in 2005. More recent Star Wars films have had a slew of celebrity cameos, including director Gareth Edwards in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. J.J. Abrams even got in on the fun by voicing the droid Dio in The Rise of Skywalker. Now it looks like Dillard's cameo in the finale of the Skywalker saga has been revealed.
Cinemablend recently pointed out that Dillard has a cast credit as FN-1226 in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which got overshadowed by some of the other celebrity cameos. This marked the second time Dillard was involved with a Star Wars project as he was also involved with production and technical support on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Fans are eagerly anticipating to get more details on Dillard's Star Wars film, but there are several other projects in development as well. Marvel Studios Kevin Feige is developing a Star Wars movie for Disney, as well as Rian Johnson, who is making a whole new Star Wars trilogy. Disney is also making sure their Disney+ customers are happy by developing an Obi-Wan Kenobi series, as well as a Cassion Andor spin-off. Needless to say, there is going to be plenty of Star Wars content to keep fans entertained for years to come.
While Disney seems pretty lenient on who gets a Star Wars cameo, fans can't help but wonder how long Disney has been planning on giving Dillard the reins on a Star Wars movie given this small role. Regardless, knowing that he cameoed as a stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker keeps the fun tradition going of giving Star Wars directors blink and you miss it cameo roles.
Source: Cinemablend