Star Wars Episode IX leak: Redditor stumbles across set In Jordan
By J. Wiley
User YenaMagana serendipitously snapped photos of what looks like a Star Wars location. We discuss possible locations!
It’s been a great few weeks for photos and speculations regarding the developments of all things Star Wars. A post has appeared on the r/starwarsleaks sub-reddit detailing how a user, YenaMagana, happened to be visiting the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan, and may have found a key location for Star Wars Episode IX.
What follows is of course, totally unconfirmed, and should only be thought of as speculative.
The photos taken show cardboard cut-outs meant to stand in for various alien species, tents, pylons, and there is mention made of a landspeeder sighting. Additionally, the user describes large shipping containers and a tent city, which according to them, could possibly be used as a prop manufacturing area. The user stated the following factoids regarding their location encounter:
"Saw several rigs that were supposed to be some sort of landspeeders (one looked a lot like Rey’s orange creamsicle speeder); these whizzed by rather quickly and I was not able to get a good photo. Pretty sure we saw Daisy Ridley (or perhaps another actress) getting a guided tour on a camel, with a heavy police escort. Drove past the film set you see in the photo album. There were all sorts of tents, a lot of cut-outs of alien figures (looked a lot like Neimoidians), and pylon-sort of things. Looked like Jakku. There is a big tent city with trailers, large MSU-style tents, and shipping containers. I am guessing this is where they construct a lot of the props, etc. While trying to leave Wadi Rum the next day, were told to take a different path as they were filming in a certain area using a lot of pyrotechnics (!!!)."
It should be noted at this point that the Wadi Rum desert has played host to many films over the years, including but not limited to Rogue One. In that film Wadi Rum was used to represent the especially important planet of Jedha, home of the Temple of the Kyber and the precious mineral that is its namesake.
Rey is left without a working lightsaber following the events of The Last Jedi. It is entirely possible that she makes the perilous pilgrimage to that ancient seat to acquire a new crystal with which to reconstruct her saber. The building of a custom lightsaber being a crucial step in the training of all Jedi, it would certainly make sense to spend a portion of time during the final film dedicated to that rite of passage.
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Perhaps a more likely destination – posited by the photographer themselves – is that of Jakku. The planet holds deep significance for our heroine Rey, and this being Star Wars, it would make an undeniable amount of rhyming sense to return to her home planet to round out the Sequel Trilogy. As the oft-repeated phrase from The Force Awakens goes – Back to Jakku!
As with all things speculative, time alone will tell. With the release of Star Wars Episode IX inching closer day-by-day, there are sure to be many more leaks and scoops to be had. Keep your coaxium hyperfuel chilled and stick with us as we bring you all the latest.