'Star Wars Episode 9' cast news: Mark Hamill hints he will be there for the final installment of new trilogy

With "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" premiering this December and Rian Johnson's "Star Wars: Episode VIII" recently wrapping, people were not really clamoring for news on Colin Trevorrow's "Star Wars: Episode IX." Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), however, has confirmed his possible involvement with the finale to the latest trilogy in the franchise.

In a Twitter entry by Hamill, he posts a video of himself having his beard shaved off, and the caption reads, "Haven't seen my chin since May '15, so #FarewellFacialFur & #ByeByeBeard (at least til #EpisodeIX) @popculturequest"

This confirms that fans will get to see Luke Skywalker one more time when the new trilogy concludes in 2019. It is, however, not a confirmation that Luke will not meet his demise in "Star Wars: Episode VIII." If fans remember correctly, Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by Alec Guinness in the original trilogy, was killed in "A New Hope," but he continued to make appearances in the sequel as a "Force Ghost" in order to give counsel to Luke.

It's quite possible that Luke will meet his end in the next "Star Wars" movie and continue on as a "Force Ghost" in order to help out Rey (Daisy Ridley).

In other news, there have even been reports of a script leak which claims that the First Order's Supreme Leader Snoke was actually the father of Anakin Skywalker; a fact that he will reveal to Luke in the sequel. Numerous fans have called this out as fake, but seeing that Anakin was of a virgin birth, some speculated that Snoke was the one who manipulated the midichlorians in order to impregnate Shmi Skywalker. Before, it was theorized that Anakin's existence is Palpatine's doing.

"Star Wars Episode IX" is still a long time away, and it's nice that fans can expect Hamill when the movie comes out in 2019.