On Friday, April 12, 2019, Star Wars Celebration hosted what was arguably the biggest panel of the weekend, devoted to Episode IX. Late night host Stephen Colbert hosted the panel, with a slew of guests from the upcoming movie. More on the panel can be found in our Industry News section.

The biggest pieces of information came at the end with the first teaser trailer. The final movie in the third trilogy, which hits theaters this December, will be titled The Rise of Skywalker. It opens with Rey in the desert with a lightsaber about to face an incoming ship – alone. It follows with flashes of Kylo Ren battling enemies and fixing his helmet, Lando Calrissian piloting the Millennium Falcon, and a sweet moment between Rey and Leia.

Throughout the trailer, Luke narrates, “We’ve passed on all we know. A thousand generations live in you now. But this is your fight.” Then as it closes, he states, “We’ll always be with you. No one is ever really gone.”

This is followed by a shot at the decaying husk of the Death Star and some very familiar, very menacing laughter. And if anyone had questions about who was behind that laughter, Ian McDiarmid – Emperor Palpatine himself – came out on stage and said, “Roll it again,” giving panel audiences another look at the trailer.

That’s right, the Emperor is back.

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker will be in theaters on December 20, 2019. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo return with Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and Ian McDiarmid. New additions include Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie. J.J. Abrams stepped back into the directing role, also co-writing the script with Chris Terrio.