The Force awakened yet again with the last Star Wars, but the upcoming Episode VIII is getting a rather ominous title: The Last Jedi.
Lucasfilm announced the much-anticipated name on Monday morning, along with a new teaser poster for the upcoming film, the latest in the ongoing Skywalker saga. The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson, produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman, and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin and Tom Karnowski.
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
Slated for release Dec. 15, The Last Jedi could be referring to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the reclusive Jedi master seen at the very end of the seventh installment, The Force Awakens — or, since Jedi can be singular or plural, it could also be referencing Rey (Daisy Ridley), the heroine who found Luke and is arguably the central character of the new Star Wars trilogy. Also interesting: the red lettering of Star Wars in the new title treatment, a color synonymous with the villainous Sith.
While the lightsaber-wielding warriors known as Jedi have always been one of the signature aspects of Star Wars films, the word has only appeared one other time in a title: 1983's Return of the Jedi.
Johnson told USA TODAY recently that he's had the title in mind ever since he started working on Episode VIII in 2014. “It was in the very first draft I wrote."
