Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi

"Rian [Johnson] is definitely going to places and investigating things that haven't really been done in the 'Star Wars' universe. For me, it's so fun getting to explore different things that I wouldn't have expected in this universe. In some ways it feels like we're making an independent film. Certain things we get to play with – this kind of intimacy that we get to find – it's special. It's been really fun."

- Oscar Isaac

Star Wars: Episode VIII is the upcoming eighth film in the Star Wars saga and second film in the sequel trilogy. The film was written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman. It is currently in post-production, and is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 15, 2017. The film will begin immediately after the events of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. It sees the return of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie and Andy Serkis. New cast members include Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran.

Development
"The second film is where we start zooming in on the characters and getting to the heart of them, challenging them, and pushing them deeper."

- Rian Johnson

Unofficial reports claimed in November 2012 that Lawrence Kasdan&mdash;who originally wrote the screenplays for both Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi&mdash;and Simon Kinberg would divide writing responsibilities for Star Wars Episodes VIII and IX, and both would co-produce all three films of the upcoming sequel trilogy. However, in February 2013, Disney confirmed that Kasdan and Kinberg were working on standalone films, not saga films.

On June 20, 2014, a spokesperson for director Rian Johnson confirmed that he would write and direct Episode VIII, as well as pen a story treatment for Star Wars: Episode IX. Ram Bergman, Johnson's frequent collaborator, was also confirmed to be brought onto the project as a producer, working alongside Kathleen Kennedy. To prepare for Episode VIII, Johnson and crew screened select classic films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai, Gunga Din, Letter Never Sent, Sahara, Three Outlaw Samurai and Twelve O'Clock High. While writing the script, Johnson had meetings with Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams, who showed him dailies as well as an edit of the unfinished film. Acording to Abrams's friend Greg Grunberg, Abrams was so impressed by the script that he regretted not directing it. John Boyega also claimed that the script was "darker" than the one for The Force Awakens.

On August 7, 2014, it was reported that actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in The Force Awakens, may reprise her role in both Episodes VIII and IX. On October 16, 2014, at the opening of the new Industrial Light & Magic facility in London, ILM President Lynwen Brennan confirmed that Star Wars: Episode VIII would be filmed in London. On March 12, 2015, Disney chairman Bob Iger originally announced the release date for Episode VIII of May 26, 2017, forty years and one day after the release of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, but the release date was later pushed back to December 15, 2017.

Production
Preliminary filming took place in September 2015 on Skellig Michael, an island off the coast of mainland Ireland that was first used for The Force Awakens in 2014. Before leaving, the crew donated €10,000 to the ferry service that had transported them to-and-from the island. Production officially began in England in February 2016, under the working title of "Space Bear". From March 9-16, production took place in Dubrovnik, Croatia, followed by a return to Ireland for twelve weeks in County Cork. In an interview with Polygon, Hamill described the securty measures on set: "You get your pages in the morning, and they take them from you as you walk so they can shred them before it somehow leaks. You have security lines you have to walk through, both to and from set. And, not to mention, you have to wear these big monk hoods to protect your costume from drones." By June 2016, filming was "in the home stretch." Principal photography of Episode VIII wrapped on July 22, 2016. Johnson began editing on August 15, 2016.

Design
Many of the same propmakers from Episode VII returned to work on the next film in the saga.

Music
During a concert with the Young Musician's Foundation Debut Orchestra on February 9, 2013, composer John Williams voiced his desire to write the musical scores for all three films of the sequel trilogy. Star Wars Insider 144 implied that he would score the entire "new Star Wars trilogy," but Lucasfilm clarified that he ha only been confirmed for Episode VII at the time. At a Tanglewood concert in August 2016, Williams confirmed he was scheduled to start scoring Episode VIII "in the next few weeks." Williams will record the score from December 2016 through March or April 2017.

Release
Johnson first publically discussed the film in a panel at Celebration Europe.

Disney will add Episode VIII-themed content to its Star Tours: The Adventures Continue ride.