Star Wars: Duel of the Fates (Johnsonverse)

Star Wars: Duel of the Fates (also known as Star Wars: Episode IX – Duel of the Fates) is a 2019 American epic space opera film co-written and directed by Tim Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the final episode of the nine-part "Skywalker saga". Its ensemble cast includes Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, Christian Bale, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Hayden Christensen, Kelly Marie Tran, Gwendoline Christie, Tom Hardy, Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds, LeVar Burton, Adam Driver, Benicio Del Toro, Max von Sydow (in his final acting role before his death in 2020), Sara Kestelman, John de Lancie, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Gaten Mazarazzo, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Naomi Ackie, Hugo Weaving, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Lupita Nyong'o, Ben Schwartz, Jimmy Vee, Anthony Daniels, and Temuera Morrison. Duel of the Fates follows Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron as they lead the New Republic's final stand against Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and the First Order, who are aided by the return of the deceased Sith Lady Darth Traya. The film features a posthumous film performance by Reynolds, who passed away in September 2018, and the film is dedicated to him and original Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew, who died in April 2019.
The film (along with Episodes VII and VIII) was announced after The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. It was co-written by Johnson, Star Wars creator George Lucas, Jon Favreau, and Lawrence Kasdan. John Williams, composer for the previous episodic films, returned to compose the score—his final score for the franchise. Principal photography began in April 2017 at Pinewood Studios in England and wrapped in March 2019, with post-production completed in November 2019. With an estimated budget of $275 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made.
Duel of the Fates premiered in Los Angeles on December 16, 2019, and was released in the United States on December 20. It received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences, who praised the story, pacing, acting, action sequences, musical score, and visual effects. It grossed over $2.534 billion worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2019 behind Avengers: Endgame. It received three wins at the 92nd Academy Awards (Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Editing) as well as three nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards (also Best Special Visual Effects, Best Original Music, and Best Sound), winning Best Special Visual Effects. It won five awards at the 46th Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film.
==Plot==
The film opens on the planet Korriban where, during the ten years after the Battle of Crait, Darth Traya has created a new Sith Order free of the restrictions of the Rule of Two that joined forces with the First Order, referred to as the Sith Eternal. It is ruled by a body of resurrected Sith Lords and Sith Ladies of the past known as the Council of Darths. She orders Darth Talon, her newest apprentice, to search for Rey and manipulate her and her friends to the Dark Side. 
==Cast==
* Daisy Ridley as Rey Skywalker, a former scavenger from Jakku, member of the New Republic, daughter of Luke Skywalker, and the next Jedi Master.
** Cailey Fleming and Josefine Irrera Jackson as young Rey. Fleming appears through the use of archive footage from The Force Awakens.
* John Boyega as Finn Whitsun, a member of the New Republic and a Jedi Guardian.
* Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, a high-ranking X-wing fighter pilot and commander of the New Republic.
* Christian Bale as Jaden Korr / Kylo Ren / Darth Acris, the Supreme Leader of the First Order.
* Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, founder and Grand Master of the New Jedi Order, and father of Rey and Ben.
* Harrison Ford as Han Solo, a founding member of the New Republic, a veteran of the Rebel Alliance, and the owner of the Millennium Falcon.
* Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, the Force-sensitive Supreme Chancellor of the New Republic, mother to Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo, Luke Skywalker's twin sister, and Anakin Skywalker's daughter.
* Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian, a founding member of the New Republic, a veteran of the Rebel Alliance, the former owner of the Millennium Falcon, and an old friend of Han Solo and Chewbacca.
* Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi knight, father of Luke and Leia, and grandfather of Rey, Ben, Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin, who has been resurrected by the will of the force to destroy Traya. Christensen's face was digitally superimposed with the likeness of David Prowse.
* Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, a Jedi Sentinel partnered with Finn on a mission to Taris and later Coruscant.
* Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma / Elana Aith, a Force-sensitive commander of the Stormtroopers and friend of Zorii Bliss who grows disillusioned with the First Order.
* Tom Hardy as Kyle Katarn, Rey's Jedi master and Jaden's ex-mentor.
* Al Pacino as Vantos Coll, Poe's Jedi master.
* Burt Reynolds as Crispin Hoedaack, Finn's Jedi master. Reynolds passed away in September 2018 after recording all of his scenes.
* LeVar Burton as Adrrory Holewit, Temiri's Jedi master and father figure.
* Adam Driver as Ben Skywalker, a Jedi knight, the son of Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade, and brother of Rey.
* Benicio Del Toro as Burt Kaelle, a First Order officer.
* Max Von Sydow as Joff Secter, a Republic general and veteran of the Rebel Alliance.
* Sara Kestelman as Kreia / Darth Traya, leader of the Sith Eternal whose goal is to destroy the Force itself.
* John de Lancie as Tor Valum, leader of the Whills and Darth Plagueis' former master.
* Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as Darth Talon, an apprentice of Traya.
* Gaten Matarazzo as Temiri Blagg, a Jedi Padawan under the wing of Adrrory Holewit.
* Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, the First Order's third in-command.
* Richard E. Grant as Allegiant General Pryde, a high-ranking general and second-in-command of the First Order, who previously served in the Galactic Empire.
* Naomi Ackie as Jannah, a former Stormtrooper of the First Order (TZ-1719) living on the planet Kef Bir, who aids the New Republic.
* Keri Russell as Zorii Bliss, an old acquaintance of Phasma's from Kijimi.
* Hugo Weaving as Grand Admiral Thrawn, a former Imperial military leader.
* Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, a Wookiee and first mate of the Millennium Falcon.
* Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, a former space pirate and ally of the Resistance.
* Ben Schwartz as the voice of D-O, a small droid who befriends BB-8.
* Jimmy Vee as R2-D2, an astromech droid and C-3PO's companion.
* Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, a humanoid protocol droid in the service of Luke Skywalker.
* Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett, a famed bounty hunter and crime lord.
** Morrison also portrays several clone troopers.
Billie Lourd, Greg Grunberg, John Ratzenberger, and Danny DeVito reprise their roles as Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix, Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Bren Derlin, and the voice of Jar Jar Binks, respectively. Additionally, Dominic Monaghan portrays Resistance trooper Beaumont Kin, Shirley Henderson voices Babu Frik, Yaphet Kotto portrays Jedi Master San Loffern, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons portrays Felcin Tersi, Grant Palmer portrays Jakil Bliss, and Nick Kellington portrays Klaud via capture performance. Dave Chapman and Brian Herring return as the puppeteers of BB-8. Martin Wilde, Anton Simpson-Tidy, Lukaz Leong, Tom Rodgers, Joe Kennard, and Ashley Beck appear as part of the Council of Darths. Amanda Lawrence reprises her role as Commander Larma D’Acy, while Vinette Robinson plays her wife, Pilot Wrobie Tyce; Jacen, Jaina and Anakin Solo are once again portrayed by Alden Ehrenreich, Emma Roberts, and Logan Huffman, respectively. Rafael Ferrer appears as Darth Malak, Ray Park and Sam Witwer portray the body and voice of Darth Maul, respectively, Alex Winter portrays Darth Sicarius, uncredited actors portray Count Dooku (with Christopher Lee's face digitally added through CGI), the Dark Council (with their voice actors from Star Wars: The Old Republic dubbing over them, including Michael Harney as Darth Marr, Malcolm Sinclair as Darth Mortis, Christopher Godwin as Darth Vowran, Jim McCance as Darth Baras, Mark Lewis Jones as Darth Vengean and Darth Decimus, Jonathan Cake as Darth Thanaton, Joseph Millson as Darth Ravage and Darth Acharon, Stephen Rashbrook as Darth Jadus, Laraine Newman as Darth Ekkage, Victoria Hamilton as Darth Zhorrid, Timothy Watson as Darth Arkous, and Neil Ross as Darth Arho), and Jorak Uln with Corey Burton and Frank Welker dubbing over them, respectively.
Matthew Wood reprises his role as General Grievous and the battle droids. Archived audio of Philip Tanzini and Jason Marsden as Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin is used from the video game Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (2003), with the characters portrayed by uncredited actors. Mara Jade, Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Luminara Unduli, Aayla Secura, Adi Gallia, and Kanan Jarrus are portrayed by Demi Moore, Samuel L. Jackson, Ewan McGregor (with the digital likeness of Alec Guinness), Frank Oz, Liam Neeson, Mary Oyaya, Amy Allen, Angelique Perrin, and Freddie Prinze, Jr. (McGregor also appears alongside Christensen via stock footage from Revenge of the Sith), respectively, while Jay Benedict, Anthony Forrest and Koo Stark reprise Deak, Fixer and Camie. Rosario Dawson portrays Ahsoka Tano, while Pedro Pascal appears as Din Djarin, and Jacen Syndulla, Kallus, and Zeb are portrayed by Liam McIntyre, David Oyelowo, and Steve Blum. Jackie Earle Haley, Simon Pegg, John DiMaggio, Brian Dobson, Taika Watiti, and Corey Burton portray and/or voice Bossk, Dengar, Zuckuss, 4-LOM, IG-88, and Cad Bane, respectively. Kadar and Kira are portrayed by Paul and Nessie Helbert, and Michael Caine cameos as Kane Skywalker.
Jodie Comer and Billy Howle briefly appear as Rey's parents, while Timothy D. Rose and Tom Kane appear as the performer and voice for Admiral Ackbar, respectively; and Mike Quinn and Kipsang Rotich return as the performer and voice of Nien Nunb, respectively. Denis Lawson and Warwick Davis reprise their roles as Wedge Antilles, a veteran of the Rebel Alliance; and Wicket W. Warrick, now the leader of the Ewoks, respectively. Composer John Williams cameos as Oma Tres, a Kijimi bartender, Kevin Smith cameos as a Kijimi inhabitant, and Johnson's wife Belle Armstrong cameos as a First Order officer, while Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeff Garlin both cameo as human and alien Resistance troopers, respectively. Aside from Morrison, the other clone troopers are voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, David Boat, Andrew Chaikin, Roger L. Jackson, and Jeff Bennett. Actors making reprisal vocal cameos include: James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, Andy Serkis as Snoke/Darth Plagueis, and Ian McDiarmid as Sheev Palpatine. Ed Sheeran, Karl Urban, Dhani Harrison, Nigel Godrich, J. D. Dillard, and Dave Hearn all cameo as stormtroopers, while Tim Johnson and his sister Chloe (portraying the canon versions of the Alternity characters Holden and Lana Quist), George Lucas, Fett director Steven Spielberg, Rogue One director Gareth Edwards, Wretched Hive director James Cameron, Yoda Stories director Colin Trevorrow, Jabba Stories director Stephen Daldry, former Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best, and Jon Stewart all cameo as New Republic pilots; Tim also cameos as a crazed doomsday prepper in Theed.
== Production ==
=== Development ===
=== Pre-production ===
=== Casting ===
=== Filming ===
=== Post-production ===
=== Music ===
== Marketing ==
=== Promotion ===
=== Tie-in literature and merchandise ===
=== Video games ===
On December 20, 2019, a video game adaptation of the film was released for Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo 3DS.
== Release ==
=== Theatrical ===
=== Home media ===
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
=== Critical response ===
=== Audience response ===
=== Accolades ===
== Future ==
Category:Johnsonverse