Star Wars: Episode VIII

Star Wars: Episode VIII director Rian Johnson announces end of production

BY NICK ROMANO • @NICKAROMANO


(Lucasfilm)

Star Wars

Cameras started rolling on Star Wars: Episode VIII, directed by Rian Johnson, at the beginning of this year. More than five months later and after a pitstop at Star Wars Celebration Europe, it’s a wrap on the next chapter of the sci-fi saga.

Johnson posted a gif of “the final slate of the final shot” announcing the end of production, writing, “VIII is officially wrapped. Cannot wait to share it with you all!”

As we learned from the filmmaker during Celebration, Episode VIII will pick up where The Force Awakens left off. Rey (Daisy Ridley) was seen standing before Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), ready to start her Jedi training after helping to deal an explosive blow to The First Order.

John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, Dohmnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, and Carrie Fisher return for Episode VIII, alongside franchise newcomers like Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.

“It was an incredible experience on many different levels,” Johnson said at Celebration. “You come into it with nostalgic feelings, but your job is to get beyond that very quickly.”

And now we wait. Star Wars: Episode VIII will hit theaters on Dec. 15, 2017. Thankfully, we have Rogue One coming up later this year.