Just after J.J. Abrams was announced as the writer and director of Star Wars: Episode IX, the final chapter in the modern trilogy, the film's release date has been shifted to accommodate the change. Previously set for a May 29, 2019 release, the ninth Star Wars film in the Skywalker Saga will now arrive in theaters on December 20, 2019.

That actually puts the closing chapter in line with Abrams' own Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the upcoming Rian Johnson effort, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Both of those films opened just before the Christmas holiday in 2015 and 2017 respectively, so this will tie a nice bow on the whole thing.

Check out the official reveal of the new release date below:

[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/starwars/status/907686475512160256[/EMBED_TWITTER]

This puts Star Wars: Episode IX right in the middle of an already busy month. Warner Bros. currently has the Patty Jenkins-helmed Wonder Woman 2 slated for a Star Wars-less December 13, 2019 release. In the very same weekend as Star Wars: Episode IX's debut--for the moment, at least--is the live-action Untitled Disney Fairy Tale #2 (this the their live-action Aladdin picture which, surprisingly, moves to the vacant May 29, 2019 release date) and Universal's Wicked musical movie. Sony/Columbia currently has their Masters of the Universe re-do set for Wednesday, December 18, 2019 along with an untitled installment in the Sony Pictures Animation franchise set for Christmas Day.

Expect all of this to shuffle around except for Star Wars: Episode IX which will likely reign supreme. The move gives Abrams plenty of time to shape his vision of the saga's final chapter, but it's also a massive flag planted in the end-of-the-year, holiday box office ground. (Oh and there's also the Star Wars theme parks opening in 2019, by coincidence.) Keep an eye open for changes!

For more on Star Wars: Episode IX, take a look at our recent write-ups below:

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Image via Lucasfilm