Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | J. J. Abrams |
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| Music by | John Williams |
| Cinematography | Dan Mindel |
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| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Release date(s) | December 16, 2019 (Dolby Theatre) December 20, 2019 (United States) |
| Running time | 142 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $416 million |
| Money made | $1.077 billion |
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is an exciting space opera film from 2019. It was directed and co-written by J. J. Abrams. This movie is the third part of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the very last film in the nine-part "Skywalker saga". It follows The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017).
The film was made by Lucasfilm and Abrams' company, Bad Robot Productions. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed it. Many famous actors are in the movie, including Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac.
The Rise of Skywalker takes place one year after The Last Jedi. It shows Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron leading the Resistance. They are fighting against Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and the First Order. The evil Galactic Emperor, Palpatine, has returned to help the First Order.
The movie had a large budget of $416 million, making it one of the most expensive films ever made. It earned over $1.077 billion worldwide. While it was the lowest-grossing film in the sequel trilogy, it still made a good profit. The film received three nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards and won five awards at the 46th Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film.
What Happens in the Story?
The movie begins with the evil Emperor Palpatine threatening to return. Kylo Ren finds a special device called a Sith wayfinder. This device leads him to the planet Exegol. There, he finds Palpatine, who is very weak. Palpatine tells Kylo that he created Snoke to control the First Order and turn Kylo to the dark side. Palpatine then shows off his huge fleet of Sith Star Destroyers, called the Final Order. He orders Kylo to find and kill Rey.
Rey is still training to be a Jedi under Resistance leader Leia Organa. Poe Dameron and Finn learn from a spy in the First Order that Palpatine is on Exegol. Rey reads in Luke Skywalker's notes that a Sith wayfinder can lead them there. Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewbacca, BB-8, and C-3PO fly the Millennium Falcon to Pasaana. They hope to find a clue to a wayfinder there.
Kylo uses the Force to connect with Rey and find her location. He travels to Pasaana with his warriors, the Knights of Ren. With help from Lando Calrissian, Rey and her friends find a clue: a dagger with Sith writing. C-3PO's programming stops him from reading it. They also find the remains of a Sith assassin named Ochi and his ship. Rey senses Kylo nearby and fights him. The First Order captures the Falcon, Chewbacca, and the dagger. Rey tries to save Chewbacca but accidentally destroys a First Order ship with Force lightning. Thinking Chewbacca is dead, the group escapes on Ochi's ship.
They go to Kijimi, where a droid expert helps C-3PO read the Sith text. It gives them coordinates to a wayfinder. Rey then senses that Chewbacca is alive. The group plans a rescue mission to a First Order Star Destroyer. Rey gets the dagger back and sees visions of Ochi killing her parents. Kylo tells her that she is Palpatine's granddaughter. Palpatine had ordered Ochi to find young Rey, but her parents hid her on Jakku. General Hux saves Poe, Finn, and Chewbacca from being executed. He reveals that he is the spy. After helping them escape, Hux is found out and killed by Allegiant General Pryde. The group flies the Falcon to the wayfinder's coordinates on a moon in the Endor system.
Rey finds the wayfinder in the wreckage of the second Death Star. But Kylo meets her there, destroys the wayfinder, and they duel. Leia uses the Force to call to Kylo, distracting him. Rey then stabs him. Rey feels Leia's death and is filled with guilt. She heals Kylo and takes his TIE fighter to hide on Ahch-To. Meanwhile, Kylo talks with a memory of his father, Han Solo. He throws away his lightsaber and becomes Ben Solo again. Palpatine senses Leia's death and Ben's change. He sends a Star Destroyer to destroy Kijimi to show his power. On Ahch-To, Luke's Force spirit encourages Rey to face Palpatine. He gives her Leia's lightsaber. Rey leaves for Exegol in Luke's X-wing fighter, using the wayfinder from Kylo's ship.
Rey sends her location to R2-D2. This allows the Resistance, now led by Poe and Finn, to follow her to Exegol. There, she faces Palpatine. He wants her to kill him in anger so his spirit can enter her. The Resistance attacks the Sith fleet. Lando arrives with many more ships from across the galaxy. Ben defeats the Knights of Ren and joins Rey. Palpatine feels their power as a dyad in the Force. He drains their power to make himself strong again. He then hurts Ben and attacks the Resistance fleet with Force lightning. Rey is weak, but she hears the voices of past Jedi, which give her strength. Palpatine attacks her with lightning, but Rey blocks it using Luke and Leia's lightsabers. This kills Palpatine, but Rey also dies. Ben uses the Force to bring Rey back to life, sacrificing himself. They kiss before he dies. The Resistance destroys the remaining Sith forces, and people across the galaxy fight back against the First Order.
The Resistance celebrates their win. Rey visits Luke's old home on Tatooine. She buries Luke and Leia's lightsabers there. A person asks her name. Seeing Luke and Leia's Force spirits nearby, she says, "Rey Skywalker."
Who are the Main Characters?
- Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa: She is a strong leader of the Resistance. Leia is also Ben Solo/Kylo Ren's mother and Luke Skywalker's twin sister. Carrie Fisher passed away in 2016, so unused footage from The Force Awakens was used for her scenes.
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker: He was the last Jedi Master. Luke became one with the Force in The Last Jedi. He is Ben Solo/Kylo Ren's uncle.
- Adam Driver as Ben Solo / Kylo Ren: He is the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Later, he becomes an ally of Rey. He is the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo.
- Daisy Ridley as Rey: She used to be a scavenger from Jakku. Rey is a member of the Resistance and the last Jedi. She is also Palpatine's granddaughter.
- Cailey Fleming and Josefine Irrera Jackson play young Rey.
- John Boyega as Finn: He is a member of the Resistance. Finn was once a stormtrooper (FN-2187) who left the First Order.
- Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron: He is a top X-wing fighter pilot and a commander in the Resistance. He later becomes a General.
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO: This is a helpful humanoid robot who works for General Leia Organa.
- Naomi Ackie as Jannah: She is a former stormtrooper who lives on the planet Kef Bir. Jannah helps the Resistance.
- Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux: He is the First Order's third-in-command.
- Richard E. Grant as Allegiant General Pryde: He is a high-ranking general in the First Order. He used to serve in the Galactic Empire.
- Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata: She is a former space pirate and a friend to the Resistance.
- Keri Russell as Zorii Bliss: She is an old friend of Poe's from Kijimi.
- Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca: He is a Wookiee and the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon.
- Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico: She is a mechanic in the Resistance and a friend of Finn.
- Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine: He is the evil Dark Lord of the Sith. He created Snoke and is Rey's grandfather. Many thought he was dead after Return of the Jedi (1983).
- Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian: He is a hero from the Rebel Alliance. Lando used to own the Millennium Falcon and is an old friend of Chewbacca, Leia, Luke, and Han.
Other actors like Billie Lourd (Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix), Greg Grunberg (Temmin "Snap" Wexley), and Harrison Ford (Han Solo) also appear. Many other actors and voice artists contributed to the film, including Jodie Comer and Billy Howle as Rey's parents.
How Was the Movie Made?
Starting the Project
In 2012, Star Wars creator George Lucas sold his company, Lucasfilm, to The Walt Disney Company. Disney then announced a new Star Wars sequel trilogy. At first, Rian Johnson, who directed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, was supposed to write a story for Episode IX. However, he later said he was not involved in writing this film.
In 2015, Colin Trevorrow was chosen to direct the movie. He was also going to write the script with Derek Connolly. Their script was called Star Wars: Duel of the Fates. Some of their ideas, like Kylo finding a Sith item, Force energy transfer, and Lando leading a fleet, were used in the final movie.
Trevorrow wanted to film in real outer space with IMAX cameras. Production for Episode IX began in early 2016. Sadly, Carrie Fisher passed away in December 2016. Her brother, Todd Fisher, said she was meant to have a very important role in this final film.
In 2017, Disney announced the movie would come out on May 24, 2019. But in September 2017, Lucasfilm said that Trevorrow had left the project because of creative differences. There were rumors that his working relationship with producer Kathleen Kennedy was difficult.
The very next day, it was announced that J.J. Abrams, who directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens, would return to direct. The movie's release date was moved to December 20, 2019. Abrams worked with Chris Terrio to write the new script. The team also met with George Lucas to talk about the Force. The script had to include certain story points, like Kylo Ren's change. Only Abrams knew the movie's title until it was officially announced.
The film's title, The Rise of Skywalker, was revealed in April 2019 at the Star Wars Celebration event in Chicago.
Choosing the Actors
When Carrie Fisher passed away in 2016, there were questions about how Leia Organa would appear. Lucasfilm first said they would not use digital effects to create her performance. However, in July 2018, J. J. Abrams announced that unused footage of Fisher from The Force Awakens would be used to finish her story. For flashback scenes, digital technology was used to make Luke and Leia look younger, using their faces from older films.
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In July 2018, Keri Russell was in talks for an action-packed role. It was also confirmed that Billy Dee Williams would return as Lando Calrissian. This was his first time playing Lando on screen since Return of the Jedi in 1983! At the end of July, Russell's casting was confirmed, and more new and returning actors were announced.
At the Star Wars Celebration in April 2019, the movie's trailer showed that Ian McDiarmid would return as Palpatine. Abrams was very happy that this news did not leak during filming. Kathleen Kennedy said they revealed Palpatine's return early because he plays a big part in the story.
Filming the Movie
Filming started on August 1, 2018, at Pinewood Studios in England. They also filmed in Wadi Rum, Jordan, which looked like the desert planet Pasaana. Oscar Isaac said that Abrams allowed actors to improvise more in this film. Because of a tight schedule, some editing happened while they were still filming.
Scenes about Palpatine's return were changed during production. The kiss between Rey and Ben was almost not included, but Abrams decided to add it at the last minute. Filming officially finished on February 15, 2019. Some extra filming, called reshoots, happened in July and again in September/October 2019. Abrams said this movie had fewer reshoots than Episode VII.
After Filming
The amazing visual effects were created by Industrial Light & Magic. The film was completely finished in post-production on November 25, 2019. A funny incident happened when John Boyega accidentally left a copy of the script in his hotel room. It ended up on eBay! A Disney employee found it and bought it back.
The Music
John Williams, the famous composer for all the main Star Wars films, returned to create the music for The Rise of Skywalker. In 2018, he announced this would be his last Star Wars film score. Williams wrote about 35 minutes of music for the movie, which included many of the well-known themes from the Skywalker saga. The official soundtrack was released on December 20, 2019.
How Was the Movie Promoted?
Getting People Excited
J. J. Abrams hoped that fans would be happy with the movie. He led a special panel about the film on April 12, 2019, at the Star Wars Celebration in Chicago. This is where the movie's title was first announced.
The Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge area at Disneyland has a story that happens before this movie. For example, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride features Chewbacca. On August 24, a new poster and a "sizzle reel" (a short video with exciting clips) were released at D23. This video showed clips from the entire Skywalker saga and new scenes from the film.
Books and Toys
A series of books and comics called "Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" was released. These stories help connect the movies. They include novels like Resistance Reborn, which takes place between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. There was also a comic series called The Rise of Kylo Ren, which explained how Ben Solo became Kylo Ren.
The official book version of The Rise of Skywalker was written by Rae Carson. It was released in March 2020. This book gives more details about Palpatine's return. It explains that he transferred his mind into a clone body after his death in Return of the Jedi. His "son," Rey's father, was a failed clone of Palpatine.
Video Games
The video game Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) added a free level set on Ajan Kloss. In December 2019, the game Fortnite Battle Royale released new items based on the movie. These included outfits for Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, and Zorii Bliss. On December 14, Fortnite even showed a preview of the film inside the game as a live event! At the end of the event, a message from Palpatine was heard. A trailer for the game Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was also released around the same time.
When Was the Movie Released?
In Theaters
The movie was first planned for release on May 24, 2019, but it was moved to December 20. It had its first showing at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on December 16. Unlike many movies, Disney reportedly did not have many test screenings for The Rise of Skywalker. They only showed it to Abrams' friends and family, and one fan who was very ill. Before the movie came out, Disney warned that scenes with flashing lights might affect people with photosensitive migraines or seizures.
For Home Viewing
The Rise of Skywalker was released for digital purchase on March 17, 2020. It came out four days early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD versions were released on March 31. The 4K version was also part of "The Skywalker Saga" box set. The movie became available on Disney+ on May 4, which was two months earlier than planned.
What's Next for Star Wars?
In 2021, Kathleen Kennedy said that Lucasfilm was talking about the future of the characters from the sequel trilogy. At Star Wars Celebration Europe IV in 2023, a new film was announced. It will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This movie will follow Rey as she tries to rebuild the Jedi Order after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Daisy Ridley is set to play Rey again. Kennedy also hinted that other characters from the sequel trilogy might return.
Images for kids
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Wadi Rum in Jordan served as the location for the desert planet Pasaana.
See Also
In Spanish: Star Wars: Episodio IX - El ascenso de Skywalker para niños
