J.J. Abrams Shares First Photo From The Set of STAR WARS: EPISODE IX with a Message of Gratitude

In a time when people are leaving Twitter, director J.J. Abrams has just shared his first tweet and it's a behind the scenes photo from the set of Star Wars: Episode IX on the first day of shooting and it came with a message of gratitude. 

I'm sure Abrams is well aware of the storm of hate that Star Wars trolls are going to be throwing at him on Twitter. If you look really closely at the small camera monitor in the photo you can see John Boyega as Finn and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca in what looks like the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.

Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go. Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX pic.twitter.com/FOfnGwVut5

— JJ Abrams (@jjabrams) August 1, 2018

I have no idea what to expect from this final chapter of the current trilogy, but I can't wait to see where Abrams takes it! 

Star Wars: Episode IX stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Richard E. Grant, Naomi Ackie, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and Carrie Fisher.

The movie is shooting at London’s Pinewood Studios and it's scheduled for release on December 20, 2019. Here's a zoomed in shot from John Boyega.

First day of filming done ! pic.twitter.com/KD3qs8oKUP

— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) August 1, 2018