'Star Wars: Episode 9' to get first female second unit director

Things are beginning to fall in place for “Star Wars: Episode 9.” Victoria Mahoney joins the franchise as the first female to take on the role of second unit director for the upcoming film. JJ Abrams will be at the helm this time around as the journey of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) comes to an end.

Ava DuVernay, who has made a name for herself with movies like “Selma” and “Queen Sugar,” shared the big news online [see below]. The picture shows Mahoney posing for the photograph with Abrams.

Mahoney confirmed the news too [see below]. She thanked DuVernay and Abrams for getting this big opportunity. “This one's for the outliers, dreaming big--in small corners of the Earth” she wrote and added a famous dialogue from the franchise –“May the Force be with You.”

The new movies, TV shows and stories from the franchise appear to be very conscious about promoting gender equality. Rey has already become a popular character from the movies, and characters like Hera Syndulla (Voice by Vanessa Marshall) and Sabine Wren (Voice by Tiya Sircar) from the animation TV series have also been well liked by the fans. Now it looks like Disney and Lucasfilm are taking gender equality beyond the characters on screen to actual positions for women to tell these stories.

The script of the film is ready, and now with the second unit director selected; the film is ready for the principal photography. The cameras are expected to start rolling for the movie some time in either June or July. Abrams may make the announcement about the start of filming online.

“Star Wars: Episode 9 is set to be released on Dec. 20, 2019 in the US. The Producers are yet to announce an exact release date for Australia.

Credit: Ava DuVernay/ Twitter