It’s been a pretty crazy week for Star Wars fans, since we got what might be our first look at the poster for Episode 9 . As you’d expect, fans have been picking apart every single detail of the image, analyzing what it means for the film, for the series, for the fandom, but most importantly for its credibility. The image was allegedly removed from Twitter, but Reddit grabbed it and re-posted what (at first glance) seems pretty legit:
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Is it real?
We like objective journalism at Softonic, so let’s not go crazy and assume this is the real deal. Instead, we’ll go over what we’re seeing (and what we’re not seeing) that could clue us in to the reality. You can decide for yourself whether this will be hanging in cinemas soon. Let’s take a look at what this has going for it:
1. Credible source?
One of the original reporters of the poster was IndieRevolver , who we have to admit has been correct in past tweets. Take this one, for example, when he accurately revealed costume information over a year before “The Force Awakens” :
IR EXCLUSIVE: First Look at the Stormtroopers of Star Wars Episode VII http://t.co/kAVk78TjRg #StarWars #StarWarsEpisodeVII
— Indie Revolver (@IndieRevolver) August 14, 2014
2. It has Naomi Ackie
In the top right corner, we can see Naomi Ackie behind Chewbacca. The actress has been confirmed for the title as the character Jannah, and the film does appear on her IMDB page . As for her costume, it does look pretty believable, though her appearance and relation to characters in the film remain unconfirmed.
3. The Knights of Ren
The Knights of Ren appear on the poster (on Kylo’s left) and we’ve long expected the infamous group to make an appearance in the new trilogy. We first saw them in the trippy flashback sequence in “The Force Awakens,” and it makes sense that they’d show up in full force in the upcoming film. Maybe they’ll be posing as Kylo Ren’s elite guard, or maybe they’ll be sent out as a strike force to harass the crippled Resistance. Their presence in Episode IX isn’t confirmed, but it’s not a stretch, either.
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4. New red First Order troopers
Another costume design that could easily be fan-made, the bottom of the poster is lined with new cool-looking stormtroopers donning crimson armor. Of course, there’s no factor weighing into the legitimacy of the design (other than Kylo’s insistent moodiness and angsty attitude), but the Clone Troopers of the prequel trilogy had a variety of new outfits, like the infamous 501st Legion that marched on the Jedi temple in “Revenge of the Sith.” IT wouldn’t be too unbelievable for Kylo to have his own regiment that he calls upon when he wants direct intervention.
Is it fake?
1. Missing someone important?
While the poster prominently features key characters like Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren, it is missing some pretty big names, notably Leia, R2-D2, and Rose. Moreover, Luke is not on the poster either , despite confirmation that he’ll be appearing in the film . Mark Hamill himself isn’t buying the poster, citing it as “just the (wonderful) work of a passionate fan.” His favorite part was Threepio holding a crossbow:
Thanks for pointing that out- I missed it at first!
