J.J. Abrams, the writer and director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been tapped to finish the latest trilogy, writing and directing Star Wars: Episode IX.
Last week it was announced that Lucasfilm and then-Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow had parted ways.
Trevorrow’s departure was the second high profile departure from a Star Wars film this summer. Earlier this summer Ron Howard took over the stand-alone Han Solo film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
Lucasfilm said of Trevorrow’s departure that “we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ.”
Abrams will co-write Episode IX with Chris Terrio. The film will be produced by produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm.
Episode IX will close out the trilogy that began with The Force Awakens. A release date of May 24, 2019 had been announced earlier this year, but that date has been pushed back to December 20, 2019.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Episode VIII) arrives in theaters this December.
