There is an immense amount of anticipation when it comes to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The film is the last entry in the Skywalker saga and brings to a close to a nine-chapter story arc that first started back in 1977. While we may be bidding one final farewell to these characters, much of the story remains a mystery.

We only got a small tease of what’s to come a few weeks back at Star Wars Celebration, where we saw the first teaser for the upcoming film. Of course, fans were excited to hear the Luke Skywalker voice over, that Lando Calrissian laugh, and a very tearful Rey embracing General Leia. But the one thing that got fans riled up was the Emperor’s laugh. The menacing character has been a dark and evil fixture since the original trilogy.

Now we are getting yet another look at the film. So to speak. It’s another behind the scenes look from Vanity Fair’s Annie Leibovitz, whose engaging photos provide an intimate look at the production of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Check out the new gallery, plus what some of the cast and crew had to say below.

The matter of who Rey’s parents are has always been on Star Wars fans’ minds ever since Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released. Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, revealed that she comes from nothing because her parents were “filthy junk traders” who sold her off for drinking money and that she comes from nothing. But it may not have been the definitive answer many were looking for. Many still want to believe that she has some sort of familial connection to a character within the Star Wars universe.

Some people have their theories. But it seems like we will get something more concrete in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. At least, that’s according to director J.J. Abrams. Check out what he had to say below.

Star Wars Celebration is finally behind us. But even after watching the explosive first trailer for Episode IX, now officially titled Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, watching the panel, and listening to interviews there are still a lot of questions that have gone unanswered. While many of us have already theorized on what the title could mean, another question on everybody’s mind is what does Emperor Palpatine’s menacing laugh at the end of the teaser trailer mean for our heroes.

After the trailer was shown to attendees the lights came on to reveal Ian McDiarmid, the actor who has portrayed Palpatine since The Return of the Jedi and in all of the subsequent prequels. It pretty much confirmed that the Sith Lord would be back, at least in some capacity. While this was a surprise to many of us, the move was in the works for a long time. More on the report below.

When the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker title first appeared at the end of the new teaser trailer, fans had a few theories on what it could mean. But director J.J. Abrams had a chance to speak about the meaning of the title. While he couldn’t provide any specifics, he did leave fans enough to go on.

Additionally, Abrams addressed the mysterious laugh that was heard at the end of The Rise of Skywalker trailer, and how George Lucas had a hand in shaping the film. Check out all of this in the full report here below.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the epic conclusion to a 40-plus year story arc that first started in 1977 with Star Wars: A New Hope. Fans who have stuck with the franchise since the very beginning have seen the rise and fall of the Skywalker family, and though things may have seemed bleak towards the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Jedi and Skywalker legacy will continue to live on.

But what sort of menacing threat awaits our heroes like Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac).