Disney’s final Star Wars sequel continues to spark conversation, this time over its jaw-dropping budget.
Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019) concluded the nine-film Skywalker Saga with Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac) confronting Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). While audiences applauded the film’s visual flourishes and nods to earlier installments, some criticized its pacing and abrupt reversals from 2017's Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi. Despite divided reactions, it grossed over $1 billion worldwide, though it fell short of the box office heights of 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII–The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
According to Forbes, The Rise of Skywalker carried a production cost of $593.7 million before tax breaks. UK incentives returned $103.8 million, lowering Disney’s net spend to roughly $489.9 million. Even with a billion-dollar box office haul, the movie’s profit may have been less robust than expected, illustrating the high stakes of tentpole filmmaking.
The report points to a costly “course correction” following backlash to The Last Jedi, reflecting a pattern of soaring budgets across modern blockbusters. For Disney and Lucasfilm, the movie remains both a financial win and a reminder of the challenges in satisfying a passionate, divided fanbase.
The saga’s conclusion has since been revisited through a five-issue Marvel comic adaptation by Jody Houser and Will Sliney, offering a reimagined ending that deepens the story. The comic emphasizes the climactic “All the Jedi” moment: whereas the film provided Rey with ethereal voices, issue 5 depicts the Jedi—Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan, Luke, and others—materializing to aid her fight against Palpatine.
This reinterpretation reframes one of the most debated sequences, providing a more visually complete experience for fans who wanted a clearer depiction of the Jedi’s role. With Star Wars preparing for new cinematic projects, including The Mandalorian and Grogu’s 2026 debut and Shawn Levy’s Starfighter in 2027, the comic’s updates hint at how the franchise may continue to revisit or expand past stories. Some insiders suggest these revisions could cement Rey as a central figure in future Star Wars narratives.
Though it doesn’t replace the film, the comic adaptation strengthens a critical moment, allowing audiences to finally witness the Jedi’s aid rather than just hear it, a tangible upgrade to the saga’s ending after more than five years.
