Star Wars Celebration - live updates: The Phantom Menace 20th anniversary panel

All the action from the convention floor, including first looks at The Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian, and Galaxy’s Edge

Watch the brand-new teaser for Star Wars: Episode IX

Get ready, Chicago! This weekend sees all manner of creatures, droids, and jedi masters descend upon the city for Star Wars Celebration 2019. It’s the ultimate convention for fans of the franchise: not only can they gather together, revel in the geekery, and flaunt their very best cosplay outfits, but the event will feature a host of special panels – with some teasing major revelations for Star Wars’ future.

Saturday will see two major panels. The Galaxy’s Edge presentation will hopefully offer some initial ride footage from the brand new lands at Disneyland and Disney World. Meanwhile, we’ll get our first details of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a brand new EA game set after the events of Revenge of the Sith.

We’ll be covering all this live from the convention centre itself, so follow the liveblog below to find out the latest news coming out of Star Wars Celebration 2019.

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Key Points

• The first trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was shown to Celebration audiences 
• The Disney Parks's biggest expansion yet, Galaxy's Edge, will be the ultimate immersive experience for Star Wars fans 
• First footage of The Mandalorian. set to stream on Disney+, debuts

[11 April 2019 23:53 · clarisse.loughrey]

Hi! Welcome to The Independent's coverage of Star Wars Celebration 2019, coming straight from the convention floor itself in Chicago. We're in for four packed days of events, so check back here tomorrow and throughout the weekend for all the best news, photos, and surprises from the world's biggest Star Wars convention.

[12 April 2019 12:17 · clarisse.loughrey]

It's a given that every Star Wars fan has their own official ranking of the films and will defend it with all their might. As your guide to all things from a galaxy far, far away for the next four days, here's how mine works out: 

[12 April 2019 16:03 · clarisse.loughrey]

I'm here and ready! There have been plenty of rumours as to what Episode IX's title will be. Something to do with the force? With redemption? A new order? I guess we'll find out soon... 

[12 April 2019 17:02 · clarisse.loughrey]

The Episode IX panel is starting now... here we go!

[12 April 2019 17:15 · clarisse.loughrey]

Host Stephen Colbert has brought on Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and director JJ Abrams to start off all the reveals and teases. "He cares more than anybody I know," Kennedy said of Abrams. 

Abrams also said of the film's new characters: "It's about what they've inherited, the light and the dark" He's teasing that they'll face "the greatest evil". Colbert immediately wants to know what that its!

[12 April 2019 17:17 · clarisse.loughrey]

Episode IX will feature a number of deleted scenes from the Force Awakens featuring Carrie Fisher as Leia. Abrams explains that they were adamant they weren't going to use CGI, but that they used the scenes to "continue her story".

[12 April 2019 17:20 · clarisse.loughrey]

A number of years will have passed by the opening of Episode IX, with the central trio going on an adventure together.

[12 April 2019 17:26 · clarisse.loughrey]

C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels has arrived, alongside R2-D2. Daniels has something to say for the franchise's history of characters telling C-3PO to shut up. "Enough!" he exclaimed. "Droid rights!" It seems L3's influence is spreading... 

[12 April 2019 17:31 · clarisse.loughrey]

Our first look at Billy Dee Williams's return as Lando Calrissian! 

[12 April 2019 17:39 · clarisse.loughrey]

Naomi Ackie will play Jannah, who may or may not be Lando's daughter...