TOKYO, Japan – It wasn’t the upcoming movie Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker or their vast plans for the franchise that Kathleen Kennedy first brought up during a media roundtable with Asian journalists on Wednesday, December 11. Instead, the Lucasfilm president raved about a Philippine-made ad to promote the The Rise of Skywalker.

“It’s just so touching and to me, that’s the perfect example where somebody took an interpretation of something that meant something to them and then made this incredible emotional statement that only could have come from the point of view of the filmmaker,” Kennedy, who has produced the last 5 Star Wars films – including the upcoming final Skywalker trilogy flick, told a group of reporters from Asia.

Kennedy, director JJ Abrams, and several cast members are in Tokyo to promote the upcoming movie, which caps both the recent Skywalker trilogy and over 40 decades of the ongoing Star Wars saga.

The producer was explaining to media how they balance fan expectations of the beloved franchise and Lucasfilm’s own vision of where the story should go. “First of all, we have so many fans inside the company, so we’re already operating from a similar point of view,” explained Kennedy.

The ad starts with two young boys – in DIY costumes – crafting another DIY creation: an X-wing starfighter. They run around town in an attempt to get the “parts” they need for the starfighter, with the idea of making it a 4D experience. We later find out that they built the ship specifically for another friend, who just happens to be deaf. The ad has been praised, especially for being inclusive.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits Philippine cinemas for a limited run from December 20-22. It will return to Philippine cinemas on January 8, 2020. – Rappler.com