The book The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is delayed until spring 2020. Concept art has been a key part of the Star Wars franchise from the very beginning. As most viewers know, artist Ralph McQuarrie's original works helped sell 20th Century Fox on George Lucas' vision for the first film, providing a clear aesthetic for the galaxy far, far away. In the decades since, fans have enjoyed seeing Star Wars concept art for all of the various movies and TV shows that have come out, seeing how their favorite character and vehicle designs evolved over time.
For that reason, the art books covering the modern Star Wars movies are highly-anticipated. Not only do they feature pages full of interesting illustrations, there are also quotes from various members of the creative team, discussing the thought process behind-the-scenes. In the Disney era, these publications normally are released in conjunction with the film, but the company's doing things a little differently for The Rise of Skywalker. This December's blockbuster will of course be getting an art book, but fans are going to have to wait a bit to get their hands on it.
In an official statement, publisher Abrams Books announced The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been pushed back to the spring. It was originally going to hit shelves on December 20, the same day as the movie. Read their full comments in the space below:
"The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will now release in Spring 2020. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to sharing this collection of stunning concept art from the film in the new year."
No reasoning for the delay was provided, but this probably stems from Disney's desire to keep Rise of Skywalker plot details firmly under wraps until the film's premiere. After running a measured marketing campaign that leaned heavily into secrecy, the last thing the studio wants is for anything from the book to leak online right before the film opens. Even Disney doesn't always have the power to prevent things from getting out early (see: Rise of Skywalker toy packaging), so this is part of their strategy. It's already been revealed the Rise of Skywalker novelization will be available in March 2020, so perhaps the art book will also release at that time. By then, everyone will have seen the movie and be ready to learn more about its secrets.
In the past, Disney got around the spoiler issue by withholding concept art of big scenes (like Han Solo's death), saving the images for a later book. For The Rise of Skywalker that probably wasn't a very viable option. The film is the final installment in the Skywalker saga and the last new Star Wars film to hit theaters until December 2022. Disney and Abrams Books may have decided that in this case, it'd be best to give fans the complete package, including whatever art exists of Palpatine, Dark Rey, and any other twists director J.J. Abrams has up his sleeve. It's disappointing audiences have to wait a few more months for the book, but ideally this decision will make it a better product.
Source: Abrams Books
