Rey (Daisy Ridley) in a scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film ends with Rey ready to begin Jedi training, prompting some fans to wonder what becomes of the character in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Photo: Lucasfilm via AP
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https://scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2064887/last-jedi-title-next-star-wars-film-has-fans-speculating-feverishly Film & TV
Last Jedi title for next Star Wars film has fans speculating feverishly as to what it could mean for story line
Episode eight of Star Wars saga will start where Force Awakens left off, with last Jedi Luke Skywalker in hiding and Rey about to start Jedi training. Fans in a frenzy over what title means for both characters
Disney’s release of the title of the next Star Wars movie prompted fans to speculate the character Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill, pictured) will die. Photo: Reuters
Movie studio Disney has revealed that the next Star Wars movie will be called Star Wars: The Last Jedi, setting off rampant speculation from fans about what the title implies for the plot.
The movie, the second of the sequels set 30 years after the original movie trilogy, will follow the adventures of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). It had previously been known only as Episode VIII.
“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,” Disney said on Monday.
Rian Johnson is directing the movie, which will be released on December 15.
Fisher shot all of her scenes for the movie before her sudden death in December of a heart attack, Disney said at the time of her passing.
The studio has not released plot details for Star Wars: The Last Jedi but Johnson has said it will immediately follow the events of 2015 release Star Wars: The Force Awakens , in which Skywalker was revealed to be the last remaining Jedi and had gone into hiding.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens ended with scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) discovering her hidden powers, finding Skywalker and ready to start her Jedi training.
Theories about the plot made the #TheLastJedi hashtag the top trending item on Twitter on Monday, with some 152,000 tweets in just one hour. Disney has yet to release any trailers.
Fans noted that Jedi – those belonging to the force for good – can be singular or plural in the “Star Wars” universe.
Carrie Fisher played General Leia Organa in The Force Awakens, and filmed all her scenes for the next episode before her death in December. Photo: Disney - Lucasfilm
“If it’s called #TheLastJedi, my honest and bold prediction is that Luke Skywalker has to die,” said Twitter user Nikolas Oliverio.
“hold up if rey is the last jedi... what happens to luke.. OR if luke is the last jedi... what happens to rey...” asked a bewildered fan, Ana with 1 n, on Twitter.
The cast for the movie will also include The Force Awakens members John Boyega, Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong’o.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, became the third-highest grossing movie of all time, taking some US$2 billion at the global box office, after its release in December 2015.
The stand-alone movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , released in December 2016, has made US$1 billion at the worldwide box office.