Keri Russell will be joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode IX.
On Friday Deadline reported the 42-year-old actress, who is coming off TV’s smash hit The Americans, has signed on to star in the 2019 movie with director JJ Abrams as well as returning stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver.
It was also announced on Friday that old footage of Carrie Fisher from the 2015 movie The Force Awakens would be used in IX.
Going to a galaxy far, far away: Keri Russell will be joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode IX. On Friday Deadline reported the 42-year-old actress, who is coming off TV’s smash hit The Americans, has signed on to star in the 2019 movie. Seen in May
They are old friends: Abrams worked with Keri on Felicity and a Mission: Impossible move
Filming is scheduled to begin Wednesday in London.
Russell’s part is an action role but that is about all that has been revealed as her character name and description are still being kept a secret. It is not even known if she is aligned with the rebels or the First Order.
Many actresses were seen for the role, according to the site, but Abrams and LucasFilm have been keen on Keri for a while.
They early days: Russell and Scott Speedman on Felicity in the late 1990s
Russell and Abrams have worked together in the past: Abrams cast her in his TV series Felicity and he also worked her into the 2006 Tom Cruise film Mission: Impossible III.
Deadline claimed Abrams did not announce Keri’s casting on Friday because the deal was not signed yet. Only after his press meeting did the contract become finalized.
What Abrams did announce on Friday was that he will use unreleased footage of Carrie Fisher in the next Star Wars film to give the latest trilogy a ‘satisfying conclusion.’
Lucasfilm and writer-director Abrams shared the news on Friday that footage of Fisher shot for 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be used in the ninth film in the space opera’s core trilogies about the Skywalker family.
She will be back: Abrams says he will use unreleased footage of Carrie Fisher in the next Star Wars film to give the latest trilogy a ‘satisfying conclusion.’ Seen in The Last Jedi
More to this: Lucasfilm and writer-director Abrams announced Friday that footage of Fisher shot for 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be used in the ninth film in the space opera’s core trilogies about the Skywalker family; seen in Last Jedi with BB-8, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran
Fisher died in 2016 at the age of 60 after she finished work on The Last Jedi. She has played Leia Organa since the first Star Wars film, which debuted in 1977.
‘Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character,’ Abrams said in a statement.
‘With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.’
From this one: There was extra footage of Fisher from Force Awakens, which will be used in Star Wars IX. Here she is seen with Harrison Ford’s Han Solo
Early days: Carrie with Mark Hamill and Ford in the 1977 hit Star Wars: A New Hope
She said yes: ‘With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII,’ said Abrams; here Lourd is with Carrie and Debbie Reynolds in 2015
It’s not much of a surprise that Billie will also appear in IX, reprising her role as Lieutenant Connix.
The 26-year-old blonde star was in the last two films as well.
Friday’s announcement also confirmed that Billy Dee Williams will be returning to the franchise as Lando Calrissian, a hero of the rebellion who hasn’t been seen in the latest trilogy.
A younger version of Lando was played by Donald Glover in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, will also appear in the film.
More of this sly fox: Friday’s announcement also confirmed that Billy Dee Williams will be returning to the franchise as Lando Calrissian, a hero of the rebellion who hasn’t been seen in the latest trilogy. On the right Billy is seen in June in LA
Back from the past: Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, will also appear in the film
This guy never goes out of style: Anthony Daniels will reprise his role at C-3PO. Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant have also joined the cast
Anthony Daniels will reprise his role at C-3PO. Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant have also joined the cast.
It is also likely that droid BB-8 will be back.
Other returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran and Joonas Suotamo.
Abrams co-wrote Episode IX with Chris Terrio. John Williams will return to score the film.
Star Wars: Episode IX is set to be released December 2019.
This comes on the heels of the spinoff movie Solo: A Star Wars Story which was released in May to mixed reviews.