Can’t get enough Star Wars? Here’s our comprehensive list of all the latest news and rumors surrounding ‘Episode VIII — The Last Jedi’
Director Rian Johnson’s addition to the Star Wars canon, Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, may seem like a distant point in a galaxy far, far away, but make no mistake: December 15 will be here before you know it. And while there’s no doubt the actual premiere is the big payoff, all the rumors leading up to the film are what make the Star Wars universe… well, the Star Wars universe.
To that end, we’ re loading up this bastion of Star Wars lore with all the news, rumors, and clandestine whispers we can find to help you analyze the details and get you geared up for the big night. Keep in mind that this post does contain some spoilers, so if you’ re looking to head into theaters in blissful ignorance, turn back now. It’s all The Last Jedi from here on out, so stop searching your feelings, and follow us below.
The spies of MakingStarWars.net have been keeping an eye on production, and they’ ve seen some interesting things. Based on the website’s intel, there will be an interesting chase scene with Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) on horseback. Rumor has it the pursuit will take place on Canto Bight, a gambling-heavy planet, and they’ ll be riding on special space race horses called falthiers. Apparently, the chase will culminate in Finn and Rose’s escape to a coffee shop of sorts that the site describes as “like a neon Starbucks.”
Fans of the franchise were introduced to Kelly Marie Tran during the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando in mid-April, as Deadline reports. We’ ll see a lot of the actress in The Last Jedi. Her character, Rose, is a maintenance worker for the Resistance who gets caught up in the action thanks to Finn and Rey (Ridley) .
Being able to reveal her role was probably a relief to Tran; she initially had to tell her family and friends that she was working on an indie flick in Canada because she was not allowed to tell them she snagged a role in Episode VIII. Oh, the secrecy.
There have been hints that the Luke Skywalker we know won’ t be the one who shows up in The Last Jedi. Ridley hinted at big surprises during the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando.
“Rey has a certain expectation as to what she might be getting from Luke and what that might entail, ” she said, according to Deadline. “It’s difficult when you meet your heroes, because it might not be what you expect.”
She hinted that the iconic character could be “being challenged or going in a different direction, ” and Hamill threw fuel on the fire with similar comments about his character.
“It was as shocking to me to read what Rian [Johnson] had written as I’ m sure it will be for the audience, ” he said, according to the International Business Times .
