Just because the good guys walked away victorious in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" doesn't mean the conflict is over. The First Order is still very much alive, as is Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke and Adam Driver's Kylo Ren. That means fans should continue to expect galactic upheaval in Rian Johnson's "Star Wars: Episode VIII."
That sentiment was confirmed by Driver during a special screening of "Midnight Special," his most recent film, earlier this week.
"They're still at war. It's still Star Wars," Driver joked when discussing "Episode VIII," which has already begun filming. "They're not at peace."
The next installment in the "Star Wars" franchise will welcome back the main cast, as well as a few new faces, in addition to Johnson, who takes over for J.J. Abrams behind the camera.
"Their temperaments are different," Driver said when comparing the two directors. "I feel like there was so many moving pieces in the first one - just trying to solve it and set the vocabulary for what it was. There's a lot of that anxiety is gone, because people have developed a language. I think it's more of a testament to Rian coming into something very established and making it [his own]. I can't wait to get on set, just because he's so unassuming and intelligent and approachable. The script they've come up with is really great."
Driver continues to carve out an impressive niche for himself in the current Hollywood landscape. He stars as a conflicted NSA agent in Jeff Nichols' sci-fi thriller "Midnight Special" and remains a weekly presence in the fifth season of HBO's "Girls." But did starring in one of the biggest movies in film history change him at all?
"I didn't turn into a new person," he said of his post-"Force Awakens" life. "Nothing happened to me. But a lot of people saw it and that was good. I guess my Christmas is kind of easier now - the toys and things for family. Kids is a big thing: I feel like before parents kept me away from their kids; now it's like, go get a picture."
"Star Wars: Episode VIII" is scheduled to be released on Dec. 15, 2017.
Follow Brandon Katz on Twitter at @Great_Katzby
