Lucasfilm unveiled on Monday the official STAR WARS: Episode VIII title, which is Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi.
When asked about the title, Mark Hammill, who plays Luke Skywalker, said that director Rian Johnson told him the real title a long time ago:
“I said, ‘Don’t tell me these things; I talk in my sleep!’ They have us so jacked up with paranoia over leaks. But that’s the way of the world. It’s funny because back when we were making the original, nobody cared.”
His reaction to the title was: “Well, it’s got a real samurai…straightforward and minimalist. And I like that.”
There are no details on the plot of the new Star Wars movie, but we know from Rian Johnson that The Last Jedi picks up immediately after The Force Awakens, with the reunion scene between Luke and Rey (Daisy Ridley).
This is the only movie in the Star Wars franchise that continues precisely where the previous left off, if we’re not counting what Rogue One did with A New Hope.
So what does it mean? Is the title The Last Jedi referring to one Jedi or multiple ones? Could it be Luke, Rey, or both of them?
It might be Rey, if we think that in the last movie we learned she is Force sensitive. It is possible that she will train under Luke’s guidance, thus becoming a Jedi.
Let’s not forget the photo posted by Mark Hamill on twitter for Daisy Ridley’s birthday, a clear nod to Yoda training Luke:
A long time ago (last week I think) In a galaxy far, far way(@PinewoodStudios ) THIS happened! Happy Birthday Daisy! pic.twitter.com/dYc9j65YBD
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) April 10, 2016
Or maybe it’s Luke, since at the end of The Force Awakens he is the last Jedi Knight in the universe (The Last Jedi, The Last Knight… Transformers, anyone?).
Remember Yoda’s dying words in Return of the Jedi:
“Luke, when gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be. Luke, the Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned, Luke.”
To complement the announcement, a teaser poster was also revealed for Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi. You can watch the poster in all its glory below:
It’s official. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is the next chapter of the Skywalker saga. This December. #TheLastJedi https://t.co/ySkVwQcMTP pic.twitter.com/eHrPgbsRJq
— Star Wars (@starwars) January 23, 2017
Notice how the Star Wars logo is red. I think this is not an accident. Two other Star Wars movies had red logos, Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith. Both were bad news for the Sith and the Jedi, but they were the final movies of their respective trilogies.
Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi is the second episode of the trilogy, which might seem odd, but we know from some of Episode VIII’s actors that Johnson decided to make the movie “darker” than The Force Awakens.
It’s quite possible that Luke Skywalker will die in Episode VIII, leaving Rey as the last Jedi in the galaxy – let’s hope that will not happen, though.
If you need a refresher about the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, you can buy the Blu-ray version of the movie on Amazon for $27.69, or $17.99 if you prefer the digital HD version.
Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi opens in theaters on December 15, 2017. Other confirmed actors are: John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson. Carrie Fisher completed her Leia scenes before she passed away in December (rest in peace, our Princess).
We really like the title, but we think it would’ve been better if they used it for the final episode of the new Star Wars trilogy. What do you think?
