A new Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker poster gives fans their first look at Emperor Palpatine.
The poster, which you can see below, shows Rey and Kylo Ren battling, with Palpatine looming in the background. The image was first shown at D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, before later being released online. Palpatine’s return was teased at the end of the teaser. However, he didn’t appear in the flesh, and actor Ian McDiarmid says the laugh was not specially recorded.
Minimalistic, but eye-catching in design, the poster plays into one of the core conflicts of the sequel trilogy: Rey vs. Kylo Ren. Dating back to The Force Awakens, that dynamic has been at the center of these new films, with the two characters representing the present and future of the two sides of the Force. With Palpatine looming over them in this one-sheet, it’ll be truly interesting to see how Rey and Kylo’s relationship develops in The Rise of Skywalker.
Plot details about The Rise of Skywalker are scarce at this time, though more information will surface as the movie gets closer to its release date. However, the movie is said to be the final installment focusing on the Skywalker family, who have been integral to the series since the original film in 1977.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Matt Smith, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film arrives on Dec. 20.
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