With just under a year to go, "Star Wars Episode 8" is already shaping up to be another magnificent addition to Disney's newly bought franchise. Expectations were raised insanely high for the last two Star Wars movies because of the prequels which although financially successful, went down as critical failures. Truth is, the last 2 movies exceeded all those high expectations and more. But, will Star Wars 8 be just as good as "The Force Awakens" and "Rogue One"?
A Great Start So Far
In December 2015 we witnessed the rebirth of a once amazing, yet dying movie franchise called Star Wars. It would take a miracle to re-ignite hope back into a franchise that has been exhausted by its creator who wrote and directed 3 highly flawed prequels. That miracle was "Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens". The movie was exactly what the franchise needed, an exciting and fun movie that re-visits and recaptures the spirit of the original Star Wars Trilogy.
In December 2016 we were treated to our first stand-alone Star Wars movie, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". Not much was expected of this movie which seemed to be a modest attempt at increasing the returns for the new owners of the Star Wars franchise, Disney. "Rogue One", However, quickly became an instant hit critically and financially. "The Force Awakens" may have re-captured the spirit of Star Wars, but Rogue One certainly re-captured the soul of Star Wars.
In December 2017 we will once again witness a Star Wars movie that will continue exactly where "The Force Awakens" left off. We will probably hear the first few words come out of Luke Skywalker's mouth, words that we eagerly awaited at the end of Episode 7: The Force Awakens. Episode 7 was directed by J.J. Abrams, but its sequel Episode 8 will be directed and written by Rian Johnson.
What We Learned from That Rian Johnson Interview
Star Wars Episode 8 Director Rian Johnson is known for movies such as "The Brothers Bloom" and "Looper". He has also directed a few episodes of the excellent TV show "Breaking Bad". He recently shared some key elements and plot details in an interview with USA Today. He didn't give away too much, but it was more than enough to satisfy the fans.
He says that the movie will not be dark and will continue to be as fun and exciting as "The Force Awakens". We will also go deeper into the lead characters Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). The last few images of "The Force Awakens" saw a speechless moment between Rey and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). We will also see a relationship develop between the two.
Princess/General Leia played by Carrie Fisher completed filming her scenes for Star Wars 8. It is unknown if her character will make it to the next movie.
Star Wars 8 Already Has a Name
Rian Johnson has stated that he had already known the title for Star Wars 8. He has known this for a few years now. Ever since he wrote the first draft of the movie. But he did choose not to share the title with anyone. There has been so much speculation as to what the title would be. We finally received confirmation of the full name on the official Star Wars Twitter Feed. The movie will officially be called "Star Wars: The Last Jedi".
The last Jedi sort off implies that it would be about Luke Skywalker who is the last known Jedi at the moment. But Jedi can be either plural or singular, meaning that it can also be about a group of Jedi. This gives rise to further speculation towards the film's plot. It might also be about Luke and other Jedi like Rey and possibly Finn.
No Digital Version of Carrie Fisher
Princess/General Leia played by Carrie Fisher completed filming her scenes for Star Wars 8. It is unknown if her character will make it to the next movie. Disney, however, in a rare response to fan speculation did specify on starwars.com that Lucasfilm will not digitally recreate Carrie Fisher's performance in the future. A young CGI version of Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing were successfully produced for the movie Rogue One. This is why it feels more than possible to have a CGI Leia for future movies.
Kylo Ren Might be Badly Injured
Adam Driver hinted that his character Kylo Ren may be badly injured at the beginning of Star Wars 8. Kylo Ren, Han Solo, and Leia's son, was the main villain in Episode 7. He is so obsessed with the dark side. Especially with his mentor, Darth Vader. It is a possibility that he would have been so badly injured that he may have lost a few body parts. This will make him move closer to being just like his crippled idol.
It is also possible that he may not be as badly injured, but he will suffer a more serious injury during the climax of Star Wars 8. Possibly in a fight with Luke Skywalker. This statement isn't that far fetched if you consider the fact that he may not be the main villain in this movie. There have been rumours that Benicio del Toro might be playing the role of a new villain in Star Wars 8.