Newly leaked concept art for Star Wars’ latest film The Rise Of Skywalker hints at alternative storylines for key characters.
A fan account on Twitter, Star Wars Stuff, has unearthed the new images, which hint at a darker, more sinister take on Episode 9.
- Read more: ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ — what we know so far about the final film in the trilogy
The new images follow a recent leak of Colin Trevorrow’s script for the new film, which he planned to name Duel of the Fates.
Though neither the script not the concept art have been verified by Disney, there are consistencies between the two that somewhat legitimise them, namely the lack of Emperor Palpatine, who controversially came back to life in JJ Abrams’ eventual Rise Of Skywalker.
The dark, dingy new concept art sees Chewbacca in a torture chamber, Kylo Ren and Rey standing guard over their empire, and Ren visiting the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. You also see Rey brandishing Ren’s lightsaber across his neck. See the images below.
Kylo Ren visits the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in these pieces of concept art for #TheRiseOfSkywalker! pic.twitter.com/c9WEJBlVyv
— Star Wars Stuff (@starwarstuff) January 17, 2020
This #TheRiseOfSkywalker
concept art shows Emperor Ren and Empress Palpatine overseeing their new Empire! pic.twitter.com/mHSuUH1J1g— Star Wars Stuff (@starwarstuff) January 17, 2020
Fans have been responding to the images, with one saying they “feel so robbed” with the Rise Of Skywalker version they ended up with.
I feel so robbed. ?#conceptart #TheRiseOfSkywalker pic.twitter.com/Fct5Ti01Fp
— Axolotl? May Adam Driver be with you. Always. (@Axolotl60775395) January 17, 2020
okay but why does this picture look live-action and not like concept art ??? DID THEY ACTUALLY FILM THE ORACLE SCENE ??? pic.twitter.com/bA6NrHThjv
— everyone's favorite sad space boy ben solo (@greyjedireylo) January 16, 2020
Back in September 2017, Colin Trevorrow parted ways with the new film and J.J. Abrams was drafted in to take over.
“Creative differences” were cited as the reason for his departure, but Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy recently shone a light on the bigger picture, which is that Trevorrow was simply at a “a huge disadvantage” by not being involved in the first film of the sequel trilogy, 2015’s The Force Awakens, directed by Abrams.
NME’s Alex Flood gave Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker three stars, calling the film “a fan-focused finale that will leave the franchise’s core audience roaring like Wookiees with delight”.