Up until now, things have been relatively quiet on the Star Wars: Episode VIII front, with very little being said by the filmmakers about where the story may go. Now, USA Today has gotten writer/director Rian Johnson to elaborate on what transpires on Ahch-To island after the credits roll in The Force Awakens.
“I don’t want to skip ahead two years, I want to see the very next moment of what happens,” said Johnson of breaking the longstanding tradition of time moving forward between chapters. Rey and Luke’s relationship is a key aspect of Episode VIII, and the director states that “a large part of the movie” will be addressing why Luke’s there as well as his purpose moving forward. “Part of what’s she’s dealing with is the realization that she has this power and this gift,” Johnson adds. “She’s taking her first step to coming to terms with this thing inside her that she never knew was there and is just starting to reveal its potential.”
MakingStarWars has also chimed in on another force wielder named Kylo Ren, specifically his pimped-out tie fighter ride in Episode VIII which will be a play of sorts on Darth Vader’s Tie from A New Hope. He’ll also have a cape similar to Vader’s, as opposed to the knightly black robes he wore in Episode VII.
Star Wars: Episode VIII, which is written and directed by Rian Johnson and continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcomes back cast members Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. New cast members will include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.
The sequel is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski.
Star Wars: Episode VIII is scheduled for release December 15, 2017.
