30 Aug – "Star Wars: Episode IX" has added another fresh face to its cast, namely English actor Matt Smith. The "Doctor Who" alum has been cast in a key role, according to Variety, though it is not specified what role the 35-year-old will be playing exactly. Online speculations predict that the actor will probably be playing Grand Admiral Thrawn or a Knight of Ren. Smith may be more known for his small screen roles, as he famously played the Eleventh Doctor in British sci-fi series "Doctor Who" and also starred in Netflix's "The Crown", but he has appeared in nearly a dozen films in the past decade. He made his big screen debut in 2008 with "In Bruges" but his scenes were deleted. He later appeared in "Womb" two years later and has been appearing in movies almost every year since. This year, he stars in three movies, "Mapplethorpe", "Patient Zero" and "Charlie Says".
Smith will be joining a cast currently composed of returning stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac. Other newcomers like him include Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant, Dominic Monaghan, and Naomi Ackie, all whose roles are also still kept under wraps. Directed by JJ Abrams, the ninth instalment of the "Star Wars" franchise, which serves as the third and final instalment of the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, will also see Billy Dee Williams reprising his role as Lando Calrissian while Carrie Fisher will be featured in her posthumous role as Leia Organa, using unreleased footage shot during "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". "Star Wars: Episode IX" begun production earlier this month and is currently filming in the U.K. It is slated for release in December 2019.