Wait, Is Avengers: Endgame Getting An Intermission Internationally?

Wait, Is Avengers: Endgame Getting An Intermission Internationally?

One of the most talked about aspects of Avengers: Endgame has been the film's length. It clocks in at over three hours long, which has many people wondering how they're going to withstand it, sitting in a theater for that long, not really wanting to take a break for fear of missing anything. It turns out this might only be a problem domestically, as Avengers: Endgame may be getting an intermission in other countries.

The above image purportedly comes from a screening of Avengers: Endgame which recently took place in Italy, the film opened there on April 24. It appears that if you see the film in cinemas there, there is a five minute intermission inserted into the film.

This is something that a lot of people in North America would probably like to see. A five minute break to run to the bathroom or go get more snacks or just to stretch your legs would not be out of line. There are certainly going to be people who need to use the bathroom but aren't going to want to leave the theater for fear of missing something important in a movie that has built up over the last 11 years.

Intermissions aren't entirely unheard of in film, but they haven't been common in recent years. Films like Gone with the Wind and Lawrence of Arabia had intermissions built into them. Many films around three hours long did decades ago.

The most recent film with an intermission that I can recall was Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, though that was only included as part of the longer "Road Show" version of the film. I found it a nice break, and it was structured in such a way that it helped add to the tension of the story. You had a few extra minutes to wonder what was going to happen next before you saw the result. Certainly, such a thing could certainly happen with Avengers: Endgame. And if we're all here for over three hours, what's an extra five or ten minutes?

It's unclear how widespread this phenomenon is. It could be just Italy, or even just this one theater, that has added the intermission, but it certainly wouldn't be surprising to see other places do something similar.

While movies, especially of the epic blockbuster variety, are routinely breaking the two hour mark these days, a movie hitting three hours is still a fairly rare occurrence. It's just a long time and it's a potentially difficult thing to juggle. On the one hand, you don't want to go to the bathroom in the middle, so maybe you forego food and drink before the film. But then again, you don't want to be distracted by your own hunger during the movie, so maybe food is needed.

Some places may get an extra break, but it won't be happening here, so if you're prepping for Avengers: Endgame tonight, be ready for three straight hours of sitting. Hopefully the chair is comfortable.

The 10 Best Characters From The Classic Disney Movies

The 10 Best Characters From The Classic Disney Movies

Seeing the Walt Disney Pictures logo grace your television with the visual quiver of VHS error coming across the screen should be enough to get your nostalgia pumping like Casey Junior coming down the railroad track.

The films of Walt Disney have gifted us with many of the great animated movie characters in history. Most recently, we have Frozen's Elsa, the title characters of Moana and Wreck-It Ralph's fun friends, plus pretty much anything Pixar has created in the last 20 years. (We'll ignore The Good Dinosaur.)

While those "modern" classics are fine, I'm talking about even deeper cuts, like Cinderella or Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The real classic characters from Disney as an animation company. We have sang with them, danced with them, cried with them, and even learned a few helpful lessons about life from them.

Yet, which of the many Disney movie characters are most memorable, iconic and, most importantly, lovable? I took a trip down memory lane and revisited the most classic Disney movies, ranking my own picks of the studio's greatest characters. Join me.

10. Bambi - Bambi (1942)

Felix Salten’s hooved hero served as the perfect central character for Disney’s tragic 1942 coming of age tale, Bambi.

Bambi is an adorable and innocent young deer enjoying an idyllic existence in the forest, until his life is changed forever after those superior on the food chain take the life of his loving mother for sport. From that moment, Bambi must immediately outgrow his childhood innocence if he wants to protect his home from the unsympathetic will of "Man."

Behind Bambi’s bright animation style lies a lesson in adult responsibility in the wake of life’s greatest challenges while also aggressively forcing you to empathize with nature. Bambi turns out to be more than a cute woodland animal; he is one of the most educational Disney characters of all time.

9. Sebastian - The Little Mermaid (1989)

The best kind of friend is the one who will break the rules for the sake of your happiness. Case in point: Sebastian’s reluctant disobedience to King Triton in support of Ariel in her quest for love with a royal landlubber in 1989’s The Little Mermaid.

Voiced by the lively, infectiously-entertaining Samuel E. Wright, the spirited crab Sebastian’s official title in the underwater kingdom is King Triton’s Advisor, but more often he looks after his daughter, Ariel. Even though he tries to convince the mermaid princess that life is better “Under the Sea,” he still gives into her wishes to help her become a part of the world above it.

Not only does Sebastian make living underwater sound like paradise, his empathetic support and talent for reggae are key to many of The Little Mermaid’s most iconic moments and one of the most lovable Disney movie characters I can personally think of.

8. Belle - Beauty And The Beast (1991)

During the opening number of Beauty and the Beast, it is made clear that Belle is the outcast of her French village. No one seems to really "get" this attractive, sweet bookworm with a killer singing voice.

But we (and, I suppose, Gaston, too) understand what makes Belle a on- in-a-million person, but not just for her brains and beauty -- for her genuine personality and bravery too.

Belle takes on the selfless task of enduring the Beast’s cruel imprisonment to save her father, and later comes to realize that her captor is not the evil monster he initially seems to be and learns to love him unconditionally, turning him into a better man.

Now, if we choose to ignore how easy it is to interpret this as textbook Stockholm syndrome, Beauty and the Beast is a sweet tale about choosing love for what is inside, not outside, and Belle serves as a great role model for staying true to oneself despite what other people may say.

7. Baloo - The Jungle Book (1967)

So, you’re an orphaned boy, raised by wolves, targeted by a ruthless Bengal tiger in the deepest, most dangerous reaches of the jungle. How do you cope? Just look on the bright side.

In Disney's 1967 animated adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, even in the most pressing moment of Mowgli’s life, his newfound friend, a bear named Baloo, teaches him to “look for the Bear Necessities” and enjoy life to the fullest. After losing everyone else in his life, Baloo becomes Mowgli’s most reliable friend, sticking with him through thick and thin until he finds his destined home.

While he may not be the best guide when it comes to avoiding certain death by the hands of a vicious predator, Baloo still resonates with us in the real world as a friendly reminder that life is not worth living if you cannot let loose every once in a while.

6. Mickey Mouse As The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - Fantasia (1940)

You were probably wondering if Mickey Mouse was going to appear on this list! Well, I could not think of a better way to honor the most Disney character than his now-iconic image in a robe and pointed, enchanted hat.

Mickey appears in Fantasia, Disney’s 1940 anthology of animated segments set to classic orchestral pieces, as the title character of an interpretation of the 18th century poem "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice."

The ambitious rookie gives into his temptation of using his master’s hat to bring a broom to life to help him carry pails of water. He becomes proud and comfortable with his achievement, and inadvertently creates an army of uncontrollable sentient brooms, forcing the sorcerer to intervene.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice represents the side of all of us who would gladly pick automation over manual labor to get the job done, but also provides us with a moral lesson in the potential dangers of growing too reliant on convenience that may be more relevant today than ever.

5. Cruella de Vil - 101 Dalmatians (1961)

I mean, just look at her name. Just one mention of her and you know this woman is bad news.

Cruella de Vil, a fashionista who wants to turn a litter of innocent puppies into a fur coat in 1961’s 101 Dalmatians, is the only villain I have included on this list and for good reason. She is not only one of the greatest villainous Disney movie characters, but one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history. Period.

This woman is ruthless and unsympathetic, with a face that fixes into a bloodcurdling snarl when at rest. She even has a catchy theme song that rivals Darth Vader’s “Imperial March.” How could you not love to hate her?

4. Timon and Pumbaa - The Lion King (1993)

"Hakuna matata" is a Swahili phrase meant to encourage people not to concern themselves with problems outside of their control. It is a wonderful, beneficial mindset to adopt and we can thank the comic relief from one of Disney’s most epic achievements for it.

Timon, a plucky meerkat, and Pumbaa, an imposing-but-harmless warthog, are introduced at a pivotal and very tragic moment in 1993’s The Lion King. After Simba believes he unintentionally killed his father, he runs into exile, fortunate enough to befriend the funny, carefree jungle dwellers.

As a film with Shakespearean-levels of heavy subject matter, The Lion King thrives on Timon and Pumbaa, whose gleeful presence gives us the necessary breathing room in between the film’s most challenging scenes, which is why Disney would later give them their own series. Few onscreen duos come this iconic.

3. Jiminy Cricket - Pinocchio (1940)

One of the most endurable Disney movie characters over the last several decades had a much less pivotal role in Carlo Collodi’s original novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio. In fact, it was Disney that gave him a name (inspired by a common phrase of surprise) and an occupation for their 1940 adaptation of the children’s story about a sentient puppet.

Jiminy Cricket takes on the task of being Pinocchio’s conscience after the Blue Fairy brings him to life and would have done a bang up job had Pinocchio listened to him. Seriously, if you rewatch the movie, all of Pinocchio’s largest mistakes and misadventures are all consequences of ignoring Jiminy, who is literally the movie’s voice of reason.

Jiminy Cricket is Disney’s greatest example of who a role model should aspire to be and what are role models should inspire us to be. He teaches us to always let our conscience be our guide and that, in doing so, our dreams really do have a chance of coming true.

2. Mulan - Mulan (1998)

When China is invaded by the Huns, young maiden Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) disguises herself as a man to take her elderly father’s place in battle. As the folktale describes, she becomes one of China’s most famed heroes.

Let’s get down to business about why Mulan is awesome. Of all the female Disney animated movie characters now deemed as the “princesses” (although Mulan is technically not a princess), I cannot think of one who is a better inspiration to women.

Mulan single-handedly crushes her entire country’s traditional values of keeping men on the battlefield and women in waiting and proves that courage and will is not defined by gender. She continues to be an enduring feminist icon whose influence is sure to increase when Disney’s live action remake hits theaters in 2020.

1. Genie - Aladdin (1992)

I truly have never had a friend like the genie that Aladdin is lucky enough to befriend after finding a magic lamp, but it would be a wish come true if I did.

What makes Aladdin’s Genie the absolute best of the classic Disney movie characters? For one, it is unfair to call him just one character. He is a compendium of almost all personas that the late, great Robin Williams was capable of impersonating from behind the microphone, all channeled through this timeless magical being.

Furthermore, what else keeps you coming back to revisit Aladdin? Is it to hear “A Whole New World” again? Is it the magic carpet’s charisma? Is it Gilbert Gottfried as Jafar’s parrot Iago?

Of course not! Genie is who I picture first when I think about my favorite memories watching Disney movies and the one character that audiences of all ages can agree is one of Robin Williams’ most beloved performances.

Sorry Will Smith, but there is no way you will ever come close this Genie's perfection.

What do you think of our classic Disney movie characters rank? Did we mention all of your favorites, or are there some we unfairly left out?

Director Jon M. Chu Credits Movie Theaters For Crazy Rich Asians’ Success

Director Jon M. Chu Credits Movie Theaters For Crazy Rich Asians’ Success

We’ve been busy celebrating all things movies but also all things related to movie theaters at CinemaCon this week, and Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu went onstage in Las Vegas and talked about the history of making his movie Crazy Rich Asians and the choice to bring it to the big screen, crediting movie theaters for the film's success.

The general story behind Crazy Rich Asians’ big release is one that was told by the author of the book the film is based on, Kevin Kwan, previously. Kwan said before that multiple companies were bidding on the movie while it was coming together.

Both Netflix and Warner Bros. really wanted the movie to be theirs; at the time the author even noted Netflix was offering a lot of money for the project. But money wasn't necessarily the end goal. Both companies have very different release policies. Warner Bros. releases titles theatrically and there’s a distribution window before titles go out onto other platforms. Netflix typically releases movies on Netflix and Netflix only. Per Chu:

We had to make a choice of whether to tell CRA on a streaming service or theatrically, like Warner Bros. And it wasn’t an obvious choice to some, but to us it was very obvious. The producers, myself, the writer. We wanted to affect culture and we wanted to affect culture on a global scale to become part of the dialogue that had to be had and urgently.

While there are pros and cons and filmmakers are choosing both streaming and theatrical distribution these days, John M. Chu notes his entire team was in agreement with Warner Bros. being the right fit, and there was a big reason why they felt theatrical was the only way to go:

We knew there was only one way to present our movie and that was theatrically. No other medium in the world forces people to leave their homes make a choice to fight through traffic, stand in line, sit in a theater turn off the lights and say tell me the story with all my attention on the screen the way cinema does.

Ultimately, when watching a movie on streaming, a lot of us will also have our phone out or be watching while doing some other task, whether that be cooking, doing a crossword puzzle, knitting or myriad other activities. The theater is one of the only places that asks us to turn our phones off and sit in rapt attention while a piece of art is presented in front of us.

Crazy Rich Asians went on to be a global phenomenon. It made $238.5 million at the worldwide box office on a reported $30 million budget. It has also made movie stars out of its two leads, particularly Henry Golding, who was a travel show host prior to Crazy Rich Asians and went on to appear in A Simple Favor and now the upcoming Last Christmas opposite Emilia Clarke and Emma Thompson and The Gentlemen opposite Charlie Hunnam. Constance Wu will also be in Jennifer Lopez's new stripper movie, Hustlers.

Before that, when opening weekend happened, Jon M. Chu says he went to the theater to watch people watch his movie. He noted that something happened at the theater that was unexpected and touching -- people actually stayed in the lobby to talk about the movie for a long time after it let out.

The weekend became a can’t-miss pop culture event. But it wasn’t about the first weekend. Our audience came back for the second and the third and they brought their parents and grandparents and friends. Some people bought tickets for total strangers. I’ll never forget. My experience going to the theater for the opening, but at the end people stayed like in the lobby. Like they didn’t want to leave… It was contagious. I felt pride, true pride, for the first time in my life.

It's not often that full asian ensemble casts have been brought together on the big screen for a U.S. audience. In particular, during his comments at CinemaCon, Jon M. Chu talked about remembering seeing The Joy Luck Club when he was a young man and spending hours afterwards dissecting the movie as a family. It was the first time he'd experienced seeing his culture shown on a big screen at a movie theater. So, seeing the same thing happen in the lobby after screening Crazy Rich Asians sort of takes that story full circle.

None of that would likely have been possible without the big screen experience. Sure, Netflix offers a worldwide platform similar to theaters. It also has a large number of subscribers and is good at marketing its new products to the people most likely to be interested. The company is even big on choosing diverse projects for its streaming service. But the shared moviegoing experience is something completely different and it was that experience that was deemed to be the most important by the people who worked tirelessly to make Crazy Rich Asians a reality.

One major thing theatrical releases still have going over streaming releases is their ability to produce event weekends and a lot of buzz. Occasionally a Netflix product like Stranger Things has a similar trajectory, but there’s nothing like opening weekend for a new movie. If you are a big release, you're guaranteed to be the center of attention, and even if you land second or third on a busy box office week, a movie is still an event flick that is being talked about on blogs, in social media and at the dinner table. Don't get me wrong, people talk about Netflix shows and movies plenty, but it's often more of a slow burn thanks to people not binge-ing Netflix content at a consistent rate.

It could have been chancy if Crazy Rich Asians hadn’t dominated at the box office. But the movie did make money in most countries, leading to Crazy Rich Asians 2 getting greenlighted and more. Jon M. Chu has another project in the works right now, In The Heights based on the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical, but China Rich Girlfriend and the third movie in the franchise are expected to shoot back-to-back in 2020. In the meantime, keep an eye on the Crazy Rich Asians leads in their upcoming new projects.

Brie Larson Got So In Shape For Captain Marvel She Forced Jude Law To Up His Game

Brie Larson Got So In Shape For Captain Marvel She Forced Jude Law To Up His Game

It’s not a secret that if an actor or actress signs on to play a superhero that actor or actress also signs on to get ripped. For Captain Marvel, Brie Larson trained for nine months before she ultimately began sparring with Jude Law on the set of the Marvel flick. Apparently, it got to the point where Jude Law mentioned to director Anna Boden that he had to up his “game.” According to co-director Boden:

She kept Jude on his toes, oh, my God. I remember the first day that Jude got to set and went to stunt training with her to learn that scene, and him being like, 'Oh, I better up my game.’

For a long period where Brie Larson was getting into shape for Captain Marvel, she shared images and videos of herself training online. She threw weight balls and did crazy lunges. She worked with exercise bands and kickboxed. She literally got to the point where she could push a jeep by herself. She got fit, yo.

It all plays off in the early moments of Captain Marvel where Brie Larson’s character Vers spars with Yon-Rogg, her mentor, played by Jude Law in the film. Per Anna Boden, the two were on set when the older actor confided in the director, per USA Today, that he definitely needed to get moving for his three action scenes with.

It’s not as if Jude Law didn’t prepare for the gig as Yon-Rogg. He’s been open about doing boxing and martial arts for a long time, but he hadn’t really worked out in the Kree gear Captain Marvel demanded, previously revealing they “hide quite a bit of movement.”

Still, Jude Law’s training for Captain Marvel seems to be small potatoes compared to the nine months that Brie Larson went through. She recently told Harper’s Bazaar she got good enough that the movie shot the intense action sequence on the train during her first few days on set. She noted:

I jumped in head-first. The first three days of shooting were all the stuff on the moving train, so it was mostly physical. I had been in pretty heavy training for nine months. [These scenes] bought me some time to get a feel for the suit before we actually got into dialogue… I think everyone on set was like, ‘This is insane. I can't believe she's doing a fight sequence on a moving train and it's day two.’

Whether or not Jude Law felt as if he needed to keep up with Brie Larson, the end result of the training scene is pretty impressive and you can catch it in more detail below.

Marvel's first female-led superhero movie is still currently doing big numbers in theaters. If you haven't given it a watch yet, you can check it our, or see what else Marvel has coming up with our full guide. Next up, you can catch Brie Larson in the Netflix flick Unicorn Store, also opposite her co-star Samuel L. Jackson. Jude Law can be seen in The New Pope.

Jared Leto 'Definitely' Wants To Play The Joker Again

Jared Leto 'Definitely' Wants To Play The Joker Again

DC has two hits in a row with Aquaman and Shazam! both scoring positive reviews and nice box office totals. The next film to hit theaters will be Joker, an alternate take on the classic villain that's entirely divorced from the DCEU. That means that the film, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, will have nothing to do with the Joker played by Jared Leto. The future of Leto's Joker is pretty up in the air right now, but as far as the actor is concerned, he's down to clown whenever.

Jared Leto's take on the Joker has appeared so far in just one movie: Suicide Squad. The film was hit with negative reviews, many of which took issue with Leto's performance. Both critics and fans have had issues with the version of the Joker, from his controversial face tattoos to his odd acting choices.

Ultimately, several scenes featuring the Joker were cut, and it's been unclear what the future holds for character after he was poorly received. Despite the bad reception, Jared Leto wouldn't turn down a chance to play the character again.

I would definitely play the Joker again. It all depends on the script and the circumstances, as it always does.

Though it depends on a few factors, Leto told Variety that he would definitely return as the Joker if the stars aligned in just the right way.

While there were rumors that Jared Leto's Joker would get his own standalone film, that doesn't seem to be in the cards anymore. However, he's been rumored to appear in the upcoming Birds of Prey movie that features Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. So, could he be back for that? Leto isn't quite sure.

I don't think so, but you have to ask them.

Either he's been purposefully cagey to hide spoilers or we genuinely shouldn't expect to see the Joker in Birds of Prey (which I am okay with). Either way, Jared Leto doesn't seem to mind much which film he's in. He had a great time filming the Joker in Suicide Squad and he thinks it's a real great time to be excited by superhero movies.

I loved it. I love these films because they get people excited to go to the movies again, or just period, I don't know about again. So I think that's a miracle. Five, 10 years ago, I don't know if we thought there would be people this excited to go to the movies this weekend. So I think that's a celebration. It created a mythology that people love, and the actors are phenomenal. I mean, I'm all in. I love it. I think it's a blast.

He's definitely right about how superhero movies are attracting large crowds to the theater. Avengers: Endgame is the ultimate proof of that and you can't blame Jared Leto for wanting to be a part of something so large.

It's cool that Jared Leto is still upbeat about his experiences as the Joker, considering the online reaction to both his performance and the movie itself. It's unclear if Leto will get a second chance, but he's currently busy filming another superhero movie with the Sony/Marvel film Morbius. Stick with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated on all the latest news.

Details About John Wick 3's Villain Have Been Revealed

Details About John Wick 3's Villain Have Been Revealed

Through the first two chapters of the John Wick franchise, Keanu Reeves’ legendary assassin has yet to come across a foe that can take him down, with only a few even providing a challenge to the lethal Baba Yaga. But in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick will find himself outgunned like never before, on the run and with the world’s assassins united against him. The main villain in the film is one of those assassins, Mark Dacascos’ Zero.

Mark Dacascos has an extensive list of film and television credits like Cradle 2 the Grave, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Mortal Kombat: Legacy and Brotherhood of the Wolf, where he has showcased his stylish martial arts skills. He will bring those skills to bear again in John Wick: Chapter 3 as his character Zero tries to collect the $14 million bounty. Zero represents the biggest threat to Keanu Reeves exhausted hero who just wants to retire and play with his dog.

Zero will be John Wick’s greatest adversary, but it sounds like he won’t be a villain in quite the same way that the slimy Santino D’Antonio was in John Wick: Chapter 2 or Alfie Allen’s Iosef Tarasov was in the first film. Mark Dacascos told Empire Magazine that although rivals, Zero has respect for John Wick. He said:

He’s a huge John Wick fan, so you’ll see an essence of, ‘I have to kill you, but you know if I didn’t have to do that, we’d be besties!’

The brief shots we see of Zero in the trailer for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum make him look like the Terminator, a stoic killer who never stops, so hearing this adds another interesting level to his character. We know that John Wick commands tremendous respect in the underground crime world and it sounds like Zero not only respects John, but also almost wishes he didn’t have to kill him (or try at least) so they could be friends.

I’m sure the fact that Zero is a fan won’t make John Wick feel any better when he’s trying to kill him, but I guess it is nice to be respected by one’s peers.

In the last film we saw that Common’s Cassian had respect for Baba Yaga, but when he went after John, it was for revenge for killing Gianna-- whom he was charged with protecting. When Zero goes after John, it seems that it will be absent emotion, a strictly business situation where Zero wants to collect on the $14 million, even if he actually really likes and respects John.

It’s an interesting dynamic and I’m curious how much we’ll find out about Zero and if he and John Wick have any history. Were they contemporaries who came up in the world of assassins at the same time, each making a name for themselves? Or did Zero come in after, idolizing John Wick and looking to match him?

Mark Dacascos and Keanu Reeves are basically the same age so it may not be a case of the young lion eating the old, but as an assassin who is a John Wick fan, Zero undoubtedly wants to be the one to claim the achievement of taking out Baba Yaga.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum opens in theaters on May 17. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

Mark Hamill Isn’t Buying That Leaked Episode IX Poster

Mark Hamill Isn’t Buying That Leaked Episode IX Poster

We’re approximately nine months away from the release of Star Wars: Episode IX, and a lot of Star Wars fans are eager for an official first look at the movie. While Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to provide anything on that front, earlier this week an Episode IX poster made the rounds on social media. Some assumed this was a legitimate peek at the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, but Mark Hamill doesn’t believe it’s the real deal. When a fan inquired if this poster had been leaked and tagged Hamill in the Twitter post, the Luke Skywalker actor responded:

Doubtful. Looks like the work of a #UPF.

UPF apparently means Ultra Passionate Fan, and you could definitely count on someone like that putting in the time and effort on a Star Wars poster. Granted, unless Disney and Lucasfilm outright come out and debunk that this Star Wars: Episode IX poster is legitimate, we don’t know with 100% certainty that’s the case, but Mark Hamill made it clear on Twitter that he’s not buying its authenticity, and he’s sticking to his guns. When another user, Indie Revolver, followed up on Hamill’s original comment and said that the Episode IX poster is indeed legitimate (though not necessarily meant for the public), Hamill posted:

Mark Hamill is referring to how C-3PO is holding a bowcaster, the kind of blaster Chewbacca frequently uses. The prospect of C-3PO firing on First Order stormtroopers is frankly hilarious given that aside from that time his head was attached to a battle droid’s body, the beloved, golden protocol droid has largely been a pacifist in the Star Wars universe. There are other interesting aspects of this Star Wars: Episode IX poster, like what looks to be the other Knights of Ren and red-colored stormtroopers resembling the Revenge of the Sith-era clone troopers, but for now, it’s unclear if it’s a true leak or a fan creation.

The only way we’ll know for sure whether or not this is an official Star Wars: Episode IX poster is when Lucasfilm finally starts marketing the movie, and that’s probably not too far off. Next month, the next Star Wars Celebration will be held in Chicago, and if it’s anything like the one in 2017, this could be when the first poster and trailer for Episode IX finally drop. It’ll be nice to finally have some footage/images to finally associate with Episode IX, although you can bet that keeping in ‘character,’ Lucasfilm will still remain as cagey as possible concerning what we can specifically expect from the plot.

No story details for Star Wars: Episode IX have been disclosed yet other than it will take place one year after the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, with the Resistance still putting up a fight against The First Order using guerrilla tactics. Along with returning faces like Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver and, of course, Mark Hamill, the movie will also bring in newcomers like Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Dominic Monaghan and Keri Russell, as well as Billy Dee Williams finally returning to the big screen as Lando Calrissian.

Star Wars: Episode IX hits theaters on December 20, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. In the meantime, browse through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are coming out later this year.