Luke Skywalker to play major part of Star Wars Episode VIII, director Rian Johnson shares

There are less than 11 months to go before the eighth installment of the Star Wars franchise is released but up until now, avid fans of the series are still being kept in the dark about the title and its plot.

In a recent interview with Slashfilm, director Rian Johnson assured that the film would not simply go by Episode VIII. He also shared that everyone at production were already privy to the title since the first production date, but unfortunately, the information remains top secret for now. He was not too tightlipped however, to share what fans can expect from the upcoming movie.

According to Johnson, in the tradition of its predecessors, the film will throw its new characters into deep waters but they will not be exploring their fate alone as Luke Skywalker, who was last seen as a hermit in Ahch-to will be going through his own journey as he deals with his own issues.

"[Luke's story is the] emotional entry point [of the movie]. I'm approaching [his story] with a take that I hope feels honest and real and is going to be interesting to folks and make sense," Johnson shared.

Johnson said that more than a backstory, the film will go the extra mile and delve deeper into the characters, their personalities and how they would respond to the challenges that await them.

He said that he was excited about the fans' reception because everything about the movie felt very easy, since he was a big fan of the franchise ever since he was a kid. He added that he wanted to share the fun and excitement with the viewers with their finished product.

Aside from advancing the franchise forward, Episode VIII holds special meaning for the Star Wars universe as it was the last Star Wars movie completed by Carrie Fisher, who played the iconic role of Princess Leia, reported Variety.

Fisher died last December 27, four days after suffering from cardiac arrest while on board a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles. Star Wars Episode VIII is set to release on December 15, 2017, according to movie site IMDB.