Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Plot, Cast, Box Office

Few films arrived with as much baggage as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. As the ninth installment in the Skywalker saga, it had to wrap a storyline spanning four decades while satisfying fans who had strong opinions about where the saga should go.

Director: J.J. Abrams · Release Year: 2019 · Episode: IX · Streaming Platform: Disney+ · Sequel Trilogy Part: Final

The key facts about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker reveal a blockbuster with significant financial performance and divisive reception.

Is Rise of Skywalker the last movie?

The Rise of Skywalker was positioned as the final chapter of the original Skywalker saga, which began with A New Hope in 1977. The film explicitly concludes storylines for Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren while paying homage to characters like Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.

Lucasfilm has indicated the saga’s central nine-film arc is complete, though new Star Wars projects continue under different storylines. Whether this truly marks “the end” depends on how you define the saga— some fans argue the franchise’s future stories continue the narrative thread.

Saga conclusion details

The film brought back Emperor Palpatine as the primary antagonist, revealing he had survived beyond the original trilogy. This choice allowed the narrative to connect all nine films under a single villain, satisfying the “Skywalker saga” branding.

Future Star Wars plans

Disney and Lucasfilm announced new Star Wars films following the sequel trilogy’s completion. The franchise has since explored different eras and characters, with projects reportedly in development at various stages.

Did Rise of Skywalker make money?

Yes — the film turned a profit despite mixed critical reception. With a production budget of $275,000,000 and worldwide gross of $1,077,022,372, it earned roughly 3.9 times its production cost. Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit at approximately $300 million, making it commercially successful even if it underperformed compared to earlier franchise entries.

Box office performance

The film earned $177,383,864 domestically during opening weekend across 4,406 theaters. Domestic totals reached $515,202,542, while international markets contributed $554,749,272, bringing the worldwide total to over $1 billion. The domestic share represented 48.2% of worldwide gross, with the theater run averaging 6.7 weeks.

Hit or flop analysis

Financially, it performed solidly — but expectations had been higher. The previous Star Wars films set massive benchmarks, and The Rise of Skywalker’s numbers declined relative to its predecessors. It became the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2019, which is impressive for most franchises but represented a step down for Star Wars.

Budget comparison

With a $275 million production budget, the film cost significantly more than typical studio productions. For context, the worldwide gross represents 3.9 times that budget — a healthy multiplier, though below what The Force Awakens achieved.

How did Carrie Fisher appear in The Rise of Skywalker?

Carrie Fisher appears in the film through previously unused footage from The Force Awakens. The production team secured permission from her estate to use these archived clips, allowing Princess Leia to play a meaningful role in the narrative despite Fisher’s 2016 death.

Use of unused footage

The decision to include Fisher relied on existing unused footage from the 2015 sequel rather than digital recreation. This approach preserved Fisher’s actual performance while enabling the writers to construct scenes that advanced Leia’s storyline.

Casting context

Fisher had completed work on The Last Jedi before her passing, but the finale required additional Leia scenes. Using archival footage meant the character could appear without requiring another actor to portray her or relying on controversial CGI technology.

Is The Rise of Skywalker good or bad?

Reviews were mixed, with the film drawing polarized reactions from both critics and audiences. The Rotten Tomatoes critic consensus noted the film “suffers from a frustrating lack of imagination” while still delivering “fan-focused devotion.” Whether that balance works depends heavily on individual viewer expectations.

Critic and audience scores

The film received mixed-to-positive marks from audiences but struggled with critics. Supporters praised the closure it offered for dedicated fans, while detractors pointed to pacing issues, plotconvenience, and perceived retreats from choices made in The Last Jedi.

Pros and cons

For some fans, the film delivered the triumphant, nostalgic conclusion they wanted — action-heavy, visually spectacular, with callbacks throughout. For others, the film’s rush to resolve plot threads and revert story decisions undermined the sequel trilogy’s potential.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker cast and key characters

The ensemble cast brought back the core trio from the sequel trilogy alongside new additions. Daisy Ridley returned as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, and Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron. Adam Driver reprised his role as Kylo Ren, now confronting the return of his grandfather’s former master, Emperor Palpatine.

Main cast list

The central performances anchored the film: Ridley delivered emotional weight as Rey grappling with her identity; Driver’s Kylo Ren charted a complex redemption arc; and Boyega and Isaac provided comic relief and action competence. Supporting roles included Naomi Ackie as Jannah, a character whose lineage sparked fan speculation.

Jannah explained

Jannah, played by Naomi Ackie, is revealed to be a former stormtrooper who defected — similar to Finn’s own backstory. The film does not definitively establish her exact lineage, leaving room for fan theories about potential connections to established characters.

Villain identity

Emperor Palpatine returned as the mastermind behind the First Order’s resurrection. His presence connected the sequel trilogy to the original saga, though critics noted his sudden return required significant plot convenience to execute.

The financial data shows the production’s scale and its box office performance relative to industry benchmarks.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker suffers from a frustrating lack of imagination, but concludes this beloved saga with fan-focused devotion.

— Rotten Tomatoes Critic Consensus (Rotten Tomatoes)

For Star Wars fans unhappy with the previous sequel, Rise of Skywalker concludes this phase of the franchise on a relative high note.

— Rotten Tomatoes Review (Rotten Tomatoes)

Cast and character theories

Several fan theories about character relationships circulated before and after the film’s release. Some gained canonical confirmation while others remain unverified speculation that the film chose not to address directly.

Rey parentage theories

Early sequel trilogy speculation suggested Rey might be Luke Skywalker’s daughter. The Rise of Skywalker ultimately confirms she is not — instead revealing Palpatine as her grandfather. This choice contradicted some popular fan theories while aligning with others that had floated during the trilogy’s run.

Poe Dameron Leia relation

Fans speculated about Poe’s potential status as Leia’s biological son. The film does not confirm this connection, instead showing Leia as Poe’s mentor and commander without establishing a blood relationship.

Regional box office breakdown

Box office performance varied significantly across international markets, with some regions showing relative strength while others experienced notable declines compared to prior Star Wars films.

Key market comparisons

The UK grossed $76.9 million, representing a significant decline from prior films in the franchise. Germany showed relative stability with only a 2.6% decline from The Last Jedi, grossing $66.8 million. Japan, interestingly, showed increasing performance across sequels with $66.4 million and was the only market where each sequel outperformed the prior one’s opening weekend. China experienced a dramatic collapse, earning just $20.5 million compared to prior Star Wars films in that market.

Related reading: Back to the Future Musical · When Did Stranger Things Come Out?

The Rise of Skywalker concludes the nine-film Skywalker Saga, whose release and chronological order clarifies its pivotal narrative position amid galactic events.

Frequently asked questions