The title for Episode VIII has been revealed. The announcement from official Star Wars channels comes just 11-months prior to the film's December 2017 opening.
"We have the greatest fans in this or any other galaxy. In appreciation of the fans, we wanted them to be the first to know the title of the next chapter in the Skywalker saga: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI."
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_large”,”fid”:”23330″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”}}]]The Star Wars Show's host Andi Gutierrez with the breaking news.
As the 900-year old Jedi Master lay dying in Return of the Jedi, Yoda revealed to Luke that "When gone I am, the last of the Jedi will you be." We are reminded of this in the opening paragraph of The Force Awaken's crawl.
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_crop”,”fid”:”23331″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”id”:”media_crop_8368119271512″,”media_crop_h”:”0″,”media_crop_image_style”:”large”,”media_crop_instance”:”15543″,”media_crop_rotate”:”0″,”media_crop_scale_h”:”0″,”media_crop_scale_w”:”0″,”media_crop_w”:”0″,”media_crop_x”:”0″,”media_crop_y”:”0″,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”}}]]"Luke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the Empire and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed."
The title "The Last Jedi" may sound familiar to fans of the Expanded Universe (now referred to officially as "Legends") A book of the same name, written by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, was released on February 26, 2013 by Del Rey. Based on the the publisher's summary of the book it is highly unlikely (read: no chance) that any material covered within will be seen in the film. As the "Legends" library is no longer considered canon material in the Star Wars galaxy that should not come as a surprise.
"Ever since Emperor Palpatine's Order 66–which called for the execution of all Jedi–Jax Pavan is the last Knight around to fight the dark side of the Force. Together with his droid I-5, Jax has eluded Vader time and again, all the while wreaking havoc against the Empire through the underground resistance on Coruscant. But now the Rebel's leader on the city-planet has been captured, and it's up to the Last Jedi to ride again…possibly for one final adventure."
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_large”,”fid”:”23329″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”}}]]THE LAST JEDI is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski. It stars Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie and Andy Serkis. Joining the returning cast members from The Force Awakens are newcomers Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran.
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is scheduled for release December 15, 2017.
Special thanks to Leo Burggraeve and Siouxie Sherman for their assistance with this story.
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