With conflicting rumors regarding the release date for the next Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer, we're breaking down all the speculation. When the calendar flipped from September to October, the expectation was a new Star Wars 9 preview would be released at some point during the month. That's because for both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, Disney debuted the final trailer during an October Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN. Since that marketing strategy's worked so well before, there's little reason to change things up for the grand finale. It would be a real shock if October passed with no Star Wars trailer.
Some were hoping the new footage would premiere this past Monday, October 7. Obviously, that didn't come to pass (likely due to Triple Force Friday and Disney's understanding they don't need to cram two events into a few days). So now, attention is turning to October 14, which seems a likely possibility. However, recent rumors have pointed to October 21 being the trailer date. In an attempt to make sense of the situation, we're exploring the two rumors.
It's important to keep in mind Disney has yet to officially announce anything, and at this point, everyone is just trying to make their best guess. The October 21 rumor originated earlier in the week from a tweet by Black Series Rebels, a Star Wars fan podcast (see it in the space below). That appeared to be debunked via an Instagram post from John Boyega's agent, claiming the trailer is arriving this coming Monday, October 14. So, why would either of these dates be viable?
A primary reason why many pointed to October 14 is because then the Star Wars 9 trailer would be out in time to play before Disney's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, which opens that weekend. If Disney were to hold it off until the 21st, they wouldn't necessarily miss that window; theoretically, the Star Wars 9 trailer could play as a theater exclusive (similar to the first looks for Tenet and Birds of Prey) for one weekend before being officially released online. The Mouse House could see that as a way to boost Maleficent's appeal, but it's debatable how effective this would be. Unlike 1999 (Meet Joe Black), modern audiences are unlikely to pay just to watch a trailer, and any Star Wars 9 footage attached to Maleficent would leak within moments. There's a greater chance of that plan backfiring than leading to the intended results. Disney wants the trailer to land with a major impact.
As touching as it would be to watch the new Star Wars 9 trailer on Carrie Fisher's birthday (October 21), the 14th sounds more plausible on paper. Disney can make an event out of its debut on Monday Night Football, and it will be officially online in glorious high definition for essentially an entire week before beginning a theatrical run throughout the remainder of the fall. Hopefully, fans will have a better idea by the end of the weekend. Previously, the studio formally announced the trailer on the Sunday before its debut, so that's likely what will happen this time around.
Source: Black Series Rebels
