After years of asking, Dominic Monaghan is finally going to be in a Star Wars movie. The actor, best known as mischievous hobbit Merry from The Lord of the Rings film series and Charlie Pace from Lost, asked director J.J. Abrams way back before The Force Awakens started shooting if he could have a part in the new trilogy. At the time, Abrams explained that, like the first Star Wars, he wanted to build a cast of unknowns to carry the new series, so Monaghan slunk away to land a part in Netflixs Mute instead. But now that Abrams is directing the next and final chapter of this trilogy, hes started to build up his cast, and wouldnt you know it, he has a spot just for Monaghan.
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed on Friday afternoon that Monaghan was joining Episode IX, though the role he was playing wasnt specified (and, the way these movies tend to go, it probably wont be until were all sitting in our IMAX seats on opening night). Monaghan started sharing cryptic teases of his new gig on Instagram on Friday.
Episode IX has invited some other actors new to the series onboard, including Richard E. Grant and Keri Russell, as well as returning star Billy Dee Williams, who played charming intergalactic hustler Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. Carrie Fisher will also reprise her role as General Leia through unused footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
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