The Star Wars Episode filming draws to a close, the anticipation about the next chapter of the hugely successful sci-fi series is far from abating. The upcoming installment is yet to reveal its title. After the heavyweight success of The Force Awakens, Disney is putting a lot of resources to ensure the success of the next film.
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) recently tweeted that production will be wrapping up on July 22 Friday as per Cinema Blend. Already, there a number of wacky theories and plotlines that are making rounds online.
One theory from CBM particularly stands out. Claiming an anonymous source with access to the script, the leaked page purportedly explains why Luke Skywalker could not have fathered Rey and the latter is actually The Chosen One- the reincarnation of the original Jedi Knight who founded the Order. The leaked script also mentioned how the first Jedi got her power from a mysterious tree which allowed her to master the good side of The Force.
But the mysterious tree may have been inspired by a piece of Star Wars canon- a comic book Star Wars: Shattered Empire. The comic book content follows the events that occurred between the Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens featuring trees. As per Lazy Gamer, the final issue of the series saw Luke recruiting Poe Dameron's Rebel parents in stealing the remains of a tree inside a Star Destroyer.
The tree saplings was stolen by Palpatine a long time which he was studying in a very strictly guarded laboratory. The remains were from the mysterious tree that once grew and stood in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
As repeatedly advised, each so-called Star Wars update should be taken with a grain salt until Disney and Lucasfilm release an official statement. Meanwhile, here are the recent updates we know so far about Star Wars Episode 8 (via Cheat Sheet):
1. Rian Johnson is both the script writer and director: As opposed to long-standing tradition in the making Star Wars films, mainstay writer Lawrence Kasdan isn't responsible for Episode 8's screenplay. Instead, Disney and Lucasfilm has bestowed upon Johnson the full run of the movie in dual capacities.
2. Production officially started in February 2016: Pre-production delays such as script rewrites pushed the target cinematic release date from May 2017 to December 2017. Production finally started in February with cameras rolled out for principal photography.
3. The Force Awakens cast members are reprising their roles in Episode 8: During the London premiere of The Force Awakens, Kathleen Kennedy mentioned that all characters will return in the next installment.
4. Expect for new character add-ons: Although The Force Awakens cast are reprising their roles, there is reportedly a casting call for "strong female character" that many speculates as Han Solo's daughter. The candidates for the said role so far are: Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), and Olivia Cooke (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl). Moreover, Benicio Del Toro may also appear in the next movie to play a yet-to-be-identified role.
5. Episode 8 will pick up exactly where The Force Awakens left off: Recent updates suggest a follow-up on Rey's development as an up-and-coming Jedi Knight under the tutelage of an aging Luke Skywalker.
As of the moment, the brains and all the people involved in the production are keeping all related movie secrets under wraps as anticipation builds up for Episode 8's December 15, 2017 release. Meanwhile, the Star Wars Celebration Fan Expo on July 15 will probably drop some exciting hints and teasers.
