21 Jan – Mark your calendars, the release date for "Star Wars: Episode VIII", the sequel to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", has been confirmed. While previously it was said that the movie will open sometime in May 2017, according to StarWars.com, Lucasfilm and Disney have now put a seven-month delay on the movie's release. The next instalment of the "Star Wars" franchise will now only hit the big screens in North America on 15 December 2017 and presumably worldwide as well. Despite this disturbance in The Force, director Rian Johnson, who takes over from "The Force Awakens" helmer J.J. Abrams, has no qualms about it. In fact, it could be said in celebration, Johnson has shared a YouTube video called "Christmas in the Stars" on his social media, probably to remind fans that the best way to celebrate Christmas is always with a "Star Wars" movie.
The studios' decision to move the release date to the holiday seasons could be beneficial, looking at how the recent "Star Wars" movie performed at the box office. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is not only the highest-grossing movie of all time in North America now, beating James Cameron's 2009 "Avatar", it is also the third highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide. "Episode VIII" is expected to start filming in London next month, Variety reports, with stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac, reprising their roles. However, fans won't be left wanting this year as "Star Wars: Rogue One", the first movie of the franchise's spinoff anthology series, will still come into cinemas this 15 December 2016.