Following Lucasfilm‘s announcement that J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Trek) will be stepping in to direct the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX, many fans were excited. Count among them Domhnall Gleeson, whom ComingSoon.net had the chance to speak to during the Goodbye Christopher Robin junket in London. The actor behind the new Star Wars sequel trilogy’s nefarious General Hux couldn’t confirm if he would actually get to work with Abrams again, given that it would spoil whether he lives or dies in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi!
“Just as a fan I’m excited for J.J. to do ‘IX’ because he did such a good job on ‘VII,'” Gleeson told us. “So I’ll look forward to seeing it or being in it, depending on whichever it is. There ya go, talk about hedging your bets!”
Gleeson also talked to us a little about his fame level rising since appearing as the First Order villain in The Force Awakens, which became the third-highest grossing film worldwide of all-time.
“I was really happy that there were toys made and that sort of stuff, that was pretty cool.” said Gleeson. “I live in Ireland, so it’s generally been pretty low key. It’s been okay, my life hasn’t changed that much, which is good. I also don’t sign any ‘Star Wars’ stuff unless it’s for the hospice where my grandparents died, so I feel like I’m a step away from that stuff. I don’t like people taking the signatures and selling it, and if anyone is gonna sell it I’d like it to be a hospital to make some money out of it and actually use it for something decent. So that’s the notion… General Hux would not approve! (laughs) He would hate that! ‘Screw the hospice!'”
Abrams will direct the film and co-write the script with Chris Terrio (Justice League, Argo). Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm. Previously set for a May 24, 2019 release date, the film will now arrive on December 20, 2019.
The characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Episode IX can next be seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, opening in theaters on December 15. Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper), the film continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcoming back cast members Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Domhnall Gleeson as Hux, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, and Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke. New cast members will include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran as Rose.
