It is an extremely exciting time to be a Star Wars fan. We are less than a month away from the release of The Rise of Skywalker, and anticipation for the upcoming blockbuster is at a fever pitch. Director J.J. Abrams is tasked with completing not only the current trilogy, but the entire nine-film Skywalker Saga. So the pressure is on, and Lucasfilm must make sure the film’s secrets are guarded until its release. But it turns out that Episode IX‘s script nearly made it onto Ebay.
The Star Wars franchise is known for its security, ensuring that the generations of fans get the full theatrical experience once each movie is released. This is especially important for The Rise of Skywalker, given how the movie will harken back to the original trilogy. J.J. Abrams recently revealed how the movie’s script nearly ended up for sale on the internet, saying:
Talk about a close call. Not only did a copy of the script make it into the wrong hands, both was nearly sold to the highest bidder. Luckily, Lucasfilm stepped in and stopped the sale from happening.
J.J. Abrams’ comments from Good Morning America show how important security around beloved franchises truly is. While this practice and secrecy around scripts can sometimes be the butt of jokes when marketing movies from Star Wars and the MCU, everything is done for a reason. Just think how disappointing it would be if Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker‘s pages were released, spoiling the entirety of the highly anticipated movie.
The Rise of Skywalker will end the Star Wars franchise as we know it, completing the story that began with George Lucas’ A New Hope. The prolific filmmaker always planned for the story to span 3 trilogies, although he would end up selling Lucasfilm to Disney years after the prequels. Lucas didn’t have any real say in the events of the current movies, leaving J.J. Abrams to craft the final installment in the decades-long space opera.
Just what J.J. Abrams has in store for Episode IX remains a mystery. The Star Wars franchise is methodical about its marketing, so the public has only seen a few brief trailers for The Rise of Skywalker. The blockbuster will follow the heroes one year after the events of The Last Jedi, with The Resistance struggling to continue the fight against The First Order. The movie will also connect to the original trilogy, with Emperor Palpatine’s laugh heard briefly.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies. And our 2020 release list to look ahead toward the New Year.