We are continuing our coverage of the Black Park set from Star Wars Episode IX. In the past weeks there have been a lot of vines and exotic plants added to the park just outside of Pinewood Studios to make the location “exotic” like a world from Star Wars rather than a park next to a studio. Rumors about the location state that the production wanted to film in Laos initially but for one reason or another they decided to keep it locally at Pinewood Studios and the park adjacent to the lot. We can’t say for certain that plates and exteriors haven’t been shot in Laos or won’t be, but for now that’s all we have to go on.

Interestingly, in Black Park the production built two sets, one with rocks placed on the ground to make some kind of floor and one with the Falcon. There are rumors of a base-type set at Pinewood with similar rocks nearby but we cannot confirm that empirically as of yet and confirmation is “rocky.”

A giant prefabricated rock slab was transported to the park location in one piece, unlike the other that was sectional and constructed at the location in Black Park’s Location 2. This is giving us the impression that Star Wars: Episode IX will have a rocky swampy jungle location in the film. I get excited for the film when I imagine what the final Skywalker Saga film will look in terms of environments.

Here’s a look at the giant rock that was snapped and sent to MakingStarWars:

Most likely these rocks are just part of the environment. But I also cannot help but think back to seeing the rock that Luke Skywalker became one with the Force on back during the production of The Last Jedi. To wildly speculate, a friend suggested that this is a rock from Ahch-To and Luke Skywalker appears as a spirit to Rey and some of his environment is brought along with him. Crazier things have happened. But most likely, it is just a rock from the planet and these things all start to blend together over time anyways. Time will tell.

We still have our ears close to the ground regarding movement and progress around the sets. Hopefully something intriguing happens as the production moves along and if it does we’ll be following it. Please check back for more updates on Star Wars: Episode IX and have fun following the production and enjoying the wait to until the film’s release in 2019! It seems so far away but it will be here before we know it.

Star Wars: Episode IX Black Park