Star Wars: Episode IX Cast List

Lucasfilm has formally confirmed the cast of Star Wars Episode IX, which will be released in December of next year. From the press release,

Star Wars: Episode IX will begin filming at London’s Pinewood Studios on August 1, 2018. J.J. Abrams returns to direct the final installment of the Skywalker saga. Abrams co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Terrio.

Returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd. Joining the cast of Episode IX are Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell, who will be joined by veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian.

The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” says Abrams. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”

Composer John Williams, who has scored every chapter in the Star Wars saga since 1977’s A New Hope, will return to a galaxy far, far away with Episode IX.

Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan, and executive produced by Callum Greene and Jason McGatlin. The crew includes Dan Mindel (Director of Photography), Rick Carter and Kevin Jenkins (Co-Production Designers), Michael Kaplan (Costume Designer), Neal Scanlan (Creature and Droid FX), Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube (Editors), Roger Guyett (VFX Supervisor), Tommy Gormley (1st AD), and Victoria Mahoney (2nd Unit Director).

Furthermore, they've confirmed that this will be the last entry in the Skywalker saga. Other films going forward will presumably focus on other elements of the Star Wars galaxy. In my opinion, a trilogy of trilogies seems like a good format and this probably a good place to end.

UPDATE: Deadline is reporting Keri Russell is also in the movie and simply did not sign on in time be included in the announcement.

UPDATE 2: Russell has now been added to the official press release

Richard Grant Cast in Wolverine 3

The Hollywood Reporter has stated that Richard E. Grant (Jekyll & Hyde, Doctor Who) will be playing a mad scientist in the third Wolverine movie. Other details are not forthcoming at this time.

Jenna-Louise Coleman on The Name of the Doctor

Jenna spoke about the finale in today's issue of the Radio Times. She teased that

In the beginning we see a Clara in the 60s, 70s and the 80s so there are a lot of costume changes, which I love. Always one for a bit of dressing up, me. Love a red carpet.

Richard E Grant is back with his evil Great Intelligence, the Doctor’s greatest secret is revealed, all of his friends rally round to protect him and we finally understand why the Doctor has met Clara so many different times.

New Details on Nightmare in Silver and The Name of the Doctor

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has included some new details on the final two episodes of the season, Nightmare in Silver and The Name of the Doctor.

Nightmare in Silver

• The Cybermen are the 699th wonder of the universe
• The Cybermen apparently play chess
• The Doctor and Clara visit the Moon
• The new Cybermen's faces are designed such that the eyes and mouth line up with the eyes and mouths of the human operator - giving them a more human appearance
• The Doctor: "I am putting Clara in charge. Clara, stay alive till I get back – and don’t let anyone blow up this planet!"

The Name of the Doctor

• Time traveling damages reality and the Doctor has done this more than anyone
• Richard E. Grant is back as Dr. Simeon
• River Song is there post-Library (don't ask me how)
• Not everyone makes it out alive (my money's on Vastra, Jenny, or Strax)
• Nothing will ever be the same again
• The Doctor: “The path I carved through time and space, from Gallifrey to Trenzalore. My own personal time tunnel, leading back to every moment I ever lived. Every step, every tear, every kiss. Even the days I haven’t lived yet. Which is why I shouldn’t be here. The paradoxes… very bad…”

The Great Intelligence Returns!

Spoilerphobes beware!

The BBC has released the full cast list for The Bells of Saint John and it includes Richard E. Grant as the Great Intelligence, which is very curious, since he technically played Dr. Simeon. The Intelligence was voiced by Ian McKellan. Perhaps it has found corporeal form, or perhaps this is just a mistake.

Cast list: (courtesy of Doctor Who TV)

• The Doctor – Matt Smith
• Clara – Jenna-Louise Coleman
• Miss Kizlet – Celia Imrie
• Mahler – Robert Whitlock
• Alexei- Dan Li
• Nabile – Manpreet Bachu
• Paul – Sean Knopp
• The Abbott – James Greene
• George – Geff Francis
• Angie – Eve de Leon Allen
• Artie Kassius – Carey Johnson
• Little Girl – Danielle Eames
• Barista – Fred Pearson
• Waitress – Jade Anouka
• Newsreader – Olivia Hill
• Child Reading with Comic – Isabella Blake-Thomas
• Man with Chips – Matthew Earley
• Pilot – Antony Edridge
• The Great Intelligence – Richard E. Grant

This does confirm what I've been thinking for some time now that the Great Intelligence is behind the events of this episode. I mean, it fits its MO (Method of Operations). It's a disembodied mind, floating in some host (in this case, the Wi-Fi), draining people of their mind, then taking them over.

UPDATE: The BBC have since removed the offending spoiler from their page.

Richard E. Grant on The Snowmen

In this new video for Day 10 of the Adventure Calendar, Richard E. Grant talks about The Snowmen. He seems to suggest that this is going to be a rather scary episode.

Interview with the Cast of The Snowmen

For Day 8 of the Adventure Calendar, we a have a new inteview with Steven Moffat and the cast of the Christmas Special: Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Richard E. Grant, & Tom Ward.

STEVEN MOFFAT is Doctor Who’s lead writer and executive producer. This is the third Christmas Special he’s written for the Doctor, but this year’s looks to be very different to the previous two…
Q: What can we expect from the Christmas Special?
Steven Moffat: The Christmas episode is Doctor Who only more so and this year we're going for more epic. The Doctor, when we meet him, isn't in a good place. A bit like when we first encountered William Hartnell as the Doctor in 1963 - or indeed Christopher Eccleston in 2005 - this a cold and withdrawn Time Lord, wanting no part of the world around him. It's going to take a lot of Christmas spirit to get him back out of those TARDIS doors.
Q:  Are there any new monsters?
SM: Well, there are Snowmen. You've probably guessed that from the title. But that's not all. Dear me, no! But monsters should always be a bit surprising, so that's all I'm saying.
Q: How do you find writing the Christmas Special as opposed to a regular episode? Does it differ at all?
SM: You're very aware of the time of year, and the noisy, sugared-up, slightly tipsy household. Sometimes we play along with something a bit frothier. Though this year, we might just give them a fright!
Q: Last time we saw the Doctor he said goodbye to the Ponds… Will we see a different side to him in this episode?
SM: The Doctor is almost defined by his friendships. When they end, and the TARDIS is silent again, he's a very different man. He's lost a lot of people in the time we've known him, and this Christmas he's decided he's finally had enough...
Q: This episode welcomes Jenna-Louise Coleman - what can you tell us about her character?
SM: It's going to quite a journey of discovery with Jenna and her character - and it doesn't start here, it starts on Christmas Day. For now, enough to say, that the Doctor in his darkest hour, long ago in a
Victorian winter, meets the exactly the right person. Or does he?
MATT SMITH is back as the Doctor in The Snowmen, but things have changed for the Time Lord… So what’s in store for him now?
Q: What can we expect from the Christmas Special?
Matt Smith: Lots of snow and a rather good villain! [But the Doctor] is slightly removed and not at his best…
Q: But after he meets a feisty young governess, Clara, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman, do we see a change in the Doctor?
MS: You get to see a different side to him. Clara is a very different to Amy Pond. That is the great thing about this show - reinvention, it keeps me as an actor on my toes!
Q: So, can we expect to see a period of grieving following the loss of the Ponds?
MS: Grieving has its place, but it is important to show that and then propel back into adventure!
And that is exactly what this Christmas Special does!
JENNA-LOUISE COLEMAN, who plays Clara in The Snowmen, made a surprise appearance in Asylum of the Daleks, so fans have already met the new companion… Or have they? We caught up with Jenna-Louise and tried to get some answers!
Q: What we can expect from your character, Clara?
Jenna-Louise Coleman: She is from the Victorian era and [she’s] a mysterious one… Very down to earth, but feisty and curious, too, with numerous jobs…
Q: Okay… We’ve been told we first glimpse Clara in the ‘Rose and Crown’ pub where she’s a barmaid, but after meeting the Doctor she soon sets about following him…
J-LC:  He has the answers to her questions.  She isn’t intimidated by the Doctor… she finds him amazing and ridiculous. But she is on her own mission and lives by her own means - she is very resourceful.
Q: You started filming Doctor Who earlier this year… How have you found the job so far?
J-LC: Every day is really surprising. For the last two years I have mainly been doing period dramas, so to be thrown in to this world with loads of CGI is very different. Whole new sets are built in the space of a couple of weeks. For this episode we had snow machines and it does make you feel like a big kid!
RICHARD E GRANT played the Doctor in the 2003 online animated series Scream of the Shalka and in a 1999 Comic Relief spoof, but now returns to Doctor Who in a more villainous role…
Q: What can you tell us about your character, Doctor Simeon?
Richard E Grant: I have been told that on pain of death I am not allowed to reveal anything about my role in the Christmas Special, other than that this character has never been in Doctor Who before… I have had two 'brushes' with the Who phenomenon before, playing the Doctor in the cartoon digital version and the Comic Relief spoof some years ago, before the franchise was re-booted with Christopher Eccleston.
Q: How did you enjoy playing the villain?
REG: When you're born with a ten foot long face, you don't get hero roles, but I'm not complaining as I have hugely enjoyed the wide variety of parts I've got to play.
Q:  You share a lot of scenes with Matt Smith… how was that?
REG:  I have really admired Matt from when I first saw him in a play called That Face at the Royal Court Theatre some years ago and have keenly followed his career progress. He is the perfect fit for Doctor Who. His interpretation is very kinetic and fast talking.
Q: And will you  be watching The Snowmen?
REG: I love Christmas and everything about it. I will be at home and watching TV after lunch, hoping I can stay awake after the feast!
TOM WARD is best known for his role in Silent Witness but relished the part of Captain Latimer in The Snowmen…
Q: What can we can expect from your character?
Tom Ward: He hasn’t been used to dealing with his children… he wants to love them, but he is an old naval captain that has struggled to build a relationship.
Q: What drew you to the role?
TW: It was one of the best scripts I had read in read in long time and the thought of doing a period sci-fi was really fun.
Q: And we understand you weren’t the only one pleased to be working on the show…
TW:  My children are very excited that I’m in Doctor Who and I’m glad they have something that they can finally watch! My oldest child is 10, so this will give him bragging rights at school and hopefully me a little bit of school gate currency!
Q: And will you be watching on Christmas Day?
TW: We have just moved into the country, so it will be the family round and the fire blazing. I don’t normally like to watch myself on TV, but this time I think I will make an exception…