If you're a true "Star Wars" fan, you've been counting down the days until "The Last Jedi" comes out since way before the film even had an official title and was just "Episode VIII," and Star Wars Day (May 4) is just another excuse to feel the anticipation and speculate.
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Here's everything we know about what will happen in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'
We've gathered everything you need to know about what happens in the next "Star Wars," from the mouths of the stars, director, and fans.
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We knew some things about the "Force Awakens" follow-up based on quotes from the actors and director Rian Johnson ("Looper"), but we couldn't really start theorizing too much until we knew the title and got a look at footage earlier this year.
When we got the trailer in April, it brought up so many questions. And since we have too little patience to wait until December to figure it all out, below is everything we know so far about the movie (which comes out December 15, 2017), from the mouths of its stars and director, plus the first trailer.
Here's everything you need to know about "Star Wars: The Last Jedi":
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Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Not familiar with Rian Johnson? He wrote and directed the hit original sci-fi movie "Looper."
Though he's only made three feature films going into "The Last Jedi," those include stunning works like the modern-day film noir "Brick" and sci-fi mobster movie "Looper," which have shown he's likely ready for the largest stage in filmmaking.
Johnson also directed some of the most memorable "Breaking Bad" episodes, including "Fly" and "Ozymandias" (arguably the greatest episode of the series).
Looking to take a deeper dive? Here's more about Johnson you need to know.
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Johnson spent six weeks at the Lucasfilm headquarters, Skywalker Ranch, figuring out the "Episode VIII" story.
At Star Wars Celebration 2016, Johnson revealed that while writing the script for "Last Jedi," he spent six weeks at Skywalker Ranch. But he wasn't just taking inspiration from the grounds that "Star Wars" creator George Lucas walks. He also had an eye on "The Force Awakens."
"We would watch dailies come in from 'VII,'" Johnson told the Celebration crowd. "It was probably really healthy creating the story based on our reactions to the footage rather than the cultural reactions. It was a unique experience."
The movie will start right where "The Force Awakens" ended.
Before principal photography began in London, Johnson and his crew took actors Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Daisy Ridley (Rey) to Skellig Michael, the island where the final scene of "The Force Awakens" was shot, to film an extension of the scene.
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That will be the opening of the film, according to Johnson.
"I don't want to skip ahead [after] that last moment of 'Episode VII.' I want to see what happens next," Johnson said.
This has sparked an interesting conversation among fans. Will there be an opening crawl in "The Last Jedi"? There are typically months to years between "Star Wars" episodes, so the crawl brings the audience up to speed. Johnson did not say whether there will be a crawl in the new movie.
It will focus more on the core characters, with fewer shoutouts to the "Star Wars" legacy.
Many fans and critics took notice of all the hallmarks from the original trilogy in "The Force Awakens." Lucas said Disney described it to him as a movie "for the fans."
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But it sounds like that will change at least a bit in "The Last Jedi."
"The second film is where we zoom into the characters, getting to the heart of them and challenging them," Johnson said.
Though Leia, Luke, Han (more on him below), Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 will all return, it sounds like for this episode we're going to get deeper into the new generation of characters.
New cast members include Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern.
There are no details yet on the characters these actors will play in the movie, but we're excited by the possibilities.
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Dern has said that she won't even tell her kids anything about her character.
There could be a Han Solo funeral scene.
If you're still shaken up by Han Solo's death in "The Force Awakens," it sounds like you can have some closure.
The late Carrie Fisher, before her death, said during Celebration 2016 that there will be a funeral scene for Solo.
Moderator Warwick Davis asked Fisher what she knew about what went on with her character and others between "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens," but she clearly thought the question was about what happens after "Force Awakens."
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Fisher answered, "Han's funeral."
The Leia star quickly fixed the slip, but there's a very good chance we're going to see a proper send-off for Han.
Luke Skywalker will speak this time (a lot).
Mark Hamill said that Luke will definitely have dialogue in the new movie, unlike what we saw in "Force Awakens."
"I was looping [recording additional dialogue for] ‘Episode VIII’ yesterday," he said. "Rian Johnson is amazing. His dialogue will make you forget 'May the Force be with you.'"
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Now that's quite a statement.
Adam Driver says the movie has an "Empire Strikes Back" tone.
While promoting his new movie "Paterson" at the Toronto International Film Festival, Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) told Collider that "The Last Jedi" feels like one of the best films from the original saga.
"It’s similar to how 'The Empire Strikes Back' has a different tone," Driver said. "For that people always go 'oooh, it’s dark' but I don’t know that it necessarily is. It’s just different in tone in a way that I think is great and necessary but also very clear. [Johnson] trusts [that] his audience is ready for nuance and ambiguity. He’s not dumbing anything down for someone and that’s really fun to play."
We might see The Knights of Ren.
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The most feared group in the galaxy under the order of Supreme Leader Snoke and led by Kylo Ren might get screen time. Star Wars News Net posted a story with an aerial shot from an "Episode VIII" set in Ireland that shows a large group of people gathering. A source described the scene as The Knights of Ren disrupting Jedi training.
The poster is a throwback to the original one for “A New Hope.”
The original poster for "A New Hope" is similar in style and composition.
The new character Rose is a maintenance worker for the Resistance. She’s played by Kelly Marie Tran.
Rose makes a brief appearance in the first trailer for "The Last Jedi." At Star Wars Celebration 2017 in April, Rian Johnson said that she has the "biggest new part" in the film.
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We could see more flashback scenes.
In the trailer, we get a quick shot of a cloaked person who appears to be Luke standing next to R2-D2. This could be a scene depicting Kylo Ren's attack on the Jedi Temple.
The Jedi in the film’s title is singular.
And according to Rian Johnson it refers to Luke, meaning Rey probably won’t actually become a Jedi.
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Luke Skywalker wants the Jedi order to end.
"I only know one truth," Luke says in the trailer. "It's time for the Jedi to end."
Carrie Fisher had already finished filming her scenes before her death in December 2016, so General Leia Organa will be in the movie exactly as planned.
It looks like Luke will be training Rey despite the fact that he thinks Jedi should end. She’s seen using Anakin's purple lightsaber, with Luke watching from a distance.
When the trailer came out in April, some fans speculated that Yoda is sitting on top of the rock to the left of Rey.
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We see Kylo Ren’s crushed helmet in the first trailer, a shot similar to the one of Darth Vader’s helmet in “The Force Awakens.”
We'll learn more about Rey, and she might not get along with Luke at first.
“We go deeper into Rey’s story,” Daisy Ridley said. "And what is very apparent from where we left off in 'The Force Awakens' and begin in ‘The Last Jedi,’ is that Rey has a certain expectation of Luke. And as a lot of people know, it’s difficult when you meet your heroes because they might not be what you expect.”
Luke seems to have found ancient books that reveal something to convince him the Jedi order must end.
These books, which are speculated to be the Journal of the Whills, could reveal something to prove Luke's theory. The day the trailer came out, hits to the page on Wookiepedia about the books skyrocketed.
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BB-8 returns with his buddy Poe Dameron.
Poe and Finn, who developed a bromance audience loved, will also reunite at some point in the film, according to actor John Boyega.
"The Last Jedi" is scheduled to hit theaters on December 15, 2017. Hallelujah.
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