'Star Wars: Episode 8' Rumors: Frank Oz Spotted on Rian Johnson Set, Yoda Returns?

Just as Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits home media, the film's sequel is still shooting, with Looper filmmaker Rian Johnson taking over J.J. Abrams' directing chair for next year's installment. As production for the still-untitled Episode 8 moves forward, new rumors fly around the set: could Frank Oz be reprising his role of Master Yoda in the movie?

Earlier this week, fan site Making Star Wars reported that there's an ongoing rumor that Oz is either in the United Kingdom or heading there, and his destination is one to give Star Wars geeks a jolt: he's going to London's Pinewood Studios, where Episode 8 is currently shooting. It seems various sources confirmed to the outlet that the voice of Yoda is in fact back home to work.

Could Yoda make its grand comeback to the saga? The character, introduced to the Star Wars universe in 1980, has been in all but two films of the saga: he's not present on neither A New Hope nor last year's Force Awakens. By canon, the character became one with the Force after dying peacefully in Return of the Jedi, and considering how powerful he was, he could be present as a Force ghost -- but would he?

via GIPHY

Of course, this is all just speculation, and Oz could either be visiting the set for other reasons (like consulting, flashback or even voicing another character in the saga) or not really working on Episode 8 at all.

Even though Yoda as a character wasn't on Force Awakens, Oz did record some lines for the film, as did Ewan McGregor in character as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Still, Oz's newer lines were ultimately phased out in favor of recordings from the original trilogy.

According to Screen Rant, other rumors claim that Pinewood Studios is currently working on accommodating a puppet for some set. Of course, this could mean Oz, a master puppeteer aside from a voice actor, could be in fact reprising his role.

Still, so far these are all unconfirmed rumors, and considering how secretive Disney is being about the Star Wars movies, chances are we won't know for sure until Episode 8 is released on theaters on Dec. 15, 2017.

via GIPHY