Star Wars Episode VIII Title Revealed

Read it and weep tears of joy.

This week, Disney/Lucasfilm has revealed the title of the next installment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. This December, everyone and their momma is going to see Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Approximately five microseconds after images of the title hit the internet, the rumor mills were already up and running, speculating on the meaning of the title. Who is this titular “Last Jedi”? Luke Skywalker, or Rey? If it is one of them, does that mean the other will die, or worse, fall to the Dark Side? Will they throw us a curveball and let Finn swing around a lightsaber this time (please, after Mace, I just really want a black Jedi again)? Some astute fans on the internet have already pointed out that Jedi can be singular or plural, in which case this may refer to more than one force-wielder, but the fact remains that this sets an ominous tone for the sequel. The answers to all these burning questions are still a few months off; Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi hyperdrives into theaters December 15, 2017.

Episode VIII Director Rian Johnson Hints at What’s to Come

Star Wars Episode VIII director Rian Johnson is finally beginning to let some details trickle out about the middle installment in the sequel trilogy. In a recent sit-down with USA Today, Johnson took a few moments to comment on the hotly anticipated film’s tone, plot elements and its mysterious title. He surprised everybody by saying he wanted the next film “to be a blast and to be funny and to be a ride the way The Force Awakens and the original Star Wars movies were.” This flies in the face of what pretty much every cast member from Daisy Ridley to Adam Driver was saying before this, drawing comparisons between Episode VIII and the original trilogy’s darker second installment, The Empire Strikes Back. Johnson also revealed that audiences would be learning more about each of the the three main characters, Finn, Rey, and Poe Dameron, as each is exposed to new challenges and threats, stating his goal was to “Figure out what’s the most difficult thing each of them could be challenged with now.” As for the driving force of the story, Johnson made sure to emphasize that the bond between Rey and Luke would play a central role, stating that “‘What's going on with Luke Skywalker?’ is the essential question at the heart of the new film.” The one thing he’s remaining mum about? The title, although he did mention that he’d had it in mind since his very first draft of the script. The next major media event, Star Wars Celebration, is still three months away, so hopefully we’ll find out more before the film debuts on December 15, 2017.

[h/t USA Today]

Star Wars Brain Trust Meets to Discuss What to Do About Carrie Fisher/Princess Leia

In less awesome movie news, Disney’s Star Wars brain trust has convened to discuss what to do with the character Leia Organa following the sudden death of beloved actress Carrie Fisher. Fisher, who originally played Princess Leia in the 1977 film Star War: A New Hope and its two sequels, had recently reprised the role in the first installment of the sequel trilogy, The Force Awakens. This week, the Hollywood Reporter quotes sources saying that General Organa was originally meant to play a bigger part in Episodes VIII and IX, including an emotional reunion with her brother Luke and a confrontation with her son Ben. Reports immediately following Fisher’s death confirmed that she had already finished filming her scenes for Episode VIII, but her presence in the final film of the trilogy is largely up in the air. Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow is due to arrive in LA next week for talks with Lucasfilm bigwig Kathleen Kennedy, most likely to explore their options. There don’t seem to be many good ones currently. Either Fisher’s role is drastically reduced and/or written out, or they opt to go the controversial route of digitally resurrecting her with CGI effects. Neither makes for a very satisfying solution, but their hands are effectively tied for the moment.