'Star Wars: Episode 9' reportedly using next generation motion capture

Director J.J. Abrams (R) and cast member Daisy Ridley have a chat during a news conference for their upcoming movie "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in Urayasu, Chiba prefecture, the suburbs of Tokyo, Japan, December 11, 2015. Reuters/Yuya Shino

J.J. Abrams may try and push the envelope on what he can achieve in “Star Wars: Episode 9.” According to a new report the director will be using the latest motion capture technology, which is intriguing because the major character created using this technology is not expected to return in the final film.

According to a new report by Mike Zeroh [see below] Abrams will be using “revolutionary technology” when it comes to the CGI and motion capture software. Motion capture was used in the previous two films to create characters like Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o).

The use of the most advanced motion capture technology can be used for Maz Kanata, but the character hasn’t played that big a role in the films so far to warrant such attention, unless they are scaling up the character’s importance in the film or telling a very crucial back story.

The next film may explore how Maz Kanata got Luke’s (Mark Hamill) lightsaber. There could also be some important CGI characters that can be introduced while telling this back story.

The other possibility is the introduction of a new character just as important as Snoke. Irrespective of how Abrams plans to use this technology the fans are in for a treat in terms of the level of computer graphics they are going to see in the upcoming film. This being the last movie in the new trilogy the director will have end it on a grand note. It will be interesting to see how he plans to achieve that both in terms of the story telling as well as the CGI.

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