We finally know how the next "Star Wars" movie will begin!
Sort of.
During a panel at "Star Wars" celebration, "Episode VIII" director Rian Johnson confirmed there won't be a time jump between Episodes VII and VIII. Instead, the yet untitled "Episode VIII" will "begin in a way no other Star Wars film has."
“For the first time, this movie is going to start where the last one left off," said Johnson of the film beginning on the mysterious island Skellig Michael, “a very mystical, magical place…It was appropriately surreal.”
As you may recall, the end of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" showed Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 showing up on the "mystical" island in search of the missing Luke Skywalker.
The film's end finds Rey approaching Skywalker, handing him his long lost lightsaber which he lost in "Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back."
That's exciting because we didn't get any dialogue from Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in the last film. Knowing the film will start off with Rey and Luke, we'll hopefully learn exactly what Skywalker has been up to since "Return of the Jedi," get some more backstory on Kylo Ren, and see him take on a Yoda-esque role as he begins training Rey.
Maybe we'll even learn more about Rey and her mysterious identity. Or maybe "Star Wars" will drag out that secret for as long as possible.
"Star Wars: Episode VIII" will be in theaters December 15, 2017.
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