Lupita Nyong’o Has the Perfect Tease for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be “interesting,” according to star Lupita Nyong’o, who returns as Force-sensitive pirate queen Maz Kanata. The ninth episode, billed as the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga, is keeping its cards close to the vest: little is known about the J.J. Abrams-directed epic that unites Resistance members Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) on a special mission taking the trio across the galaxy that is again threatened by the apparent return of the insidious Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).

“Well, yeah. This one is going to be… interesting. Take it as you will,” Nyong’o told Variety when asked if The Rise of Skywalker might be a “bittersweet” goodbye to the saga. “I have only that word, honestly. Yeah, I’ve got nothing else.”

Abrams, who first directed franchise revival The Force Awakens, says Rise of Skywalker aims to provide a “satisfying” and “cohesive” ending to the nine-movie saga.

“Endings are the thing that scare me the most. This is about bringing this thing to a close in a way that is emotional and meaningful and also satisfying in terms of actually answering [as many] questions as possible,” he previously told EW. “So if years from now, someone’s watching these movies, all nine of them, they’re watching a story that is as cohesive as possible.”

In bringing the saga spanning four decades to its close, Abrams admits Rise of Skywalker was his greatest challenge.

“It’s been a gift to work with these people again. To get to deal with these characters again. I didn’t think that was going to happen for me,” Abrams told The Star Wars Show after stepping away and handing the reins to Rian Johnson for The Last Jedi. “This ending, which is such an important thing for all of us, by far, has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever worked on.”

Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams join forces once again to take viewers on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga, where new legends will be born and the final battle for freedom is yet to come.

Starring Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker releases December 20.