This move, as well as the release of the untitled Han Solo anthology prequel an entire year before, sees the Star Wars franchise return to the month which saw the unveiling of George Lucas' prequels in 1999, 2002 and 2005.
Disney's other big May release is Avengers 4 which Zoe Saldana may or may not have revealed the title of at the European premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 earlier this week.
John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver are all expected to return for the trilogy-closer. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recently shot down suggestion that Carrie Fisher, who died last year, will appear stating that all her filmed footage will be used for a posthumous appearance in The Last Jedi.
The only other film currently slated for the same date as Episode IX is Robert Downey Jr.'s untitled Doctor Dolittle reboot.
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - which will see an expanded role for Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker - will be released 15 December 2017.
Disney's full release schedule:
2017 films
5/5/17 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (3D)
5/26/17 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (3D)
6/16/17 CARS 3 (3D)
11/3/17 THOR: RAGNAROK (3D)
Wed 11/22/17 COCO (3D)
12/15/17 STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (3D)
2018 films
2/16/18 BLACK PANTHER (3D)
3/9/18 A WRINKLE IN TIME (3D)
4/6/18 MAGIC CAMP
5/4/18 AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (3D)
5/25/18 UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY FILM (3D)
6/15/18 THE INCREDIBLES 2 (3D)
7/6/18 ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (3D)
8/3/18 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)
11/2/18 MULAN (Live Action) (3D)
Wed 11/21/18 RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 (3D)
Tues 12/25/18 MARY POPPINS RETURNS
2019 films
3/8/19 CAPTAIN MARVEL (3D)
3/29/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)
4/12/19 UNTITLED DISNEYTOON STUDIOS
5/3/19 UNTITLED AVENGERS (3D)
5/24/19 STAR WARS: EPISODE IX (3D)
6/21/19 TOY STORY 4 (3D)
7/19/19 THE LION KING (Live Action) (3D)
8/9/19 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION
11/8/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)
Wed 11/27/19 FROZEN 2 (3D)
12/20/19 UNTITLED DISNEY FAIRY TALE (Live Action)
2020 films
3/13/20 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)
4/3/20 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION
5/1/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)
6/19/20 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)
7/10/20 UNTITLED INDIANA JONES
8/7/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)
11/6/20 UNTITLED MARVEL (3D)
Wed 11/25/20 GIGANTIC (3D)
2021 films
3/12/21 UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION
6/18/21 UNTITLED PIXAR ANIMATION (3D)
Wed 11/24/21 UNTITLED DISNEY ANIMATION (3D)
/The Independent/
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