Kevin Smith reveals he had a very emotional reaction while visiting the set of Star Wars: Episode IX. The latest and final installment of the Skywalker saga is currently in production, with director J.J. Abrams returning to finish the trilogy he started with 2015's The Force Awakens. It's no secret Lucasfilm had a bit of a difficult time nailing the story for this film (there have been no less than four passes at the script and a director change), but things seem to have settled down nicely following Abrams' hiring last fall. As evidenced by the critical and commercial success of Episode VII, he knows Star Wars well and many are excited to see what he comes up with.
Of course, Lucasfilm is keeping many official details about Episode IX under lock and key. They've been transparent about some elements, such as the plan for General Leia Organa and Mark Hamill's return as a Force ghost Luke Skywalker, but several story points are heavily guarded. Fans have to scout the ever-churning rumor mill to find out what they can, since visiting the set of the film is highly unlikely. However, one lucky person who did get a first-hand look at the newest Star Wars movie is Smith, who was able to share what he could.
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In an interview with Good Morning America, Smith discussed his trip. As one might expect, he was extremely complimentary and teased some big things to come:
J.J.'s doing the lord's work. This movie looks fantastic. It's a year away, but man, it looks fantastic. I wept on set because I saw somebody give a career-best performance. Somebody I've seen in these movies before. I rolled a tear, it was so darn powerful. Biggest set I've ever seen in my life. The dude's not directing a movie. It's like he's directing a small country.
Obviously, Smith had to sign several non-disclosure agreements (loose lips sink starships), so he had to keep his comments intentionally vague. It's true Smith has a strong relationship with Abrams and loves the Star Wars franchise, so he clearly isn't going to say anything negative about Episode IX at this point in time. Still, it's exciting to hear his account, as it gives fans some little tidbits to discuss. The most eye-catching anecdote is the "career-best performance" by a series veteran. It's anyone's guess who that could be, but the sequel trilogy ensemble is loaded with talented actors. Adam Driver stands out as a likely possibility given how compelling his previous turns as Kylo Ren were. The actor even went on record to tease big things that were happening with the character, and he almost definitely has crucial scenes to handle. But perhaps it was one of the heroes who invoked that reaction out of Smith, as the likes of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac are all comfortable in their roles now and play the characters with confidence.
Smith's stories should only increase demand to receive more official information about Episode IX, and fans may get that wish granted in the very near future. The latest rumors point to Disney unveiling first looks at Frozen 2 and Star Wars 9 some time this month, ahead of the Christmas releases. It'd be a little unusual to get a teaser trailer this far out from release, but after the down year Star Wars had with Solo underwhelming at the box office, kickstarting the hype train for Episode IX early on and giving fans something exciting to look forward to might be in order.
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Source: Good Morning America
