'Star Wars: Episode VIII' News, Spoilers: Director Teases Maz Kanata's Return; Daisy Ridley Compares 'Episode VIII' And 'Episode VII'
"Star Wars: Episode VIII" director Rian Johnson has posted a photo of what could be a returning character to the next installment in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy.
On Monday, April 4, Johnson published a photo of Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o), a fan favorite character from "The Force Awakens," to his Tumblr page. In the director's most recent post, an on-set photo shows the character's face displayed on two screens as a film crew appears to be working on a performance capture stage, with one actor seen wearing a motion-capture suit.
Maz Kanata, the ancient Force-sensitive smuggler who had Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) old lightsaber in her castle basement, was left in peril when she was last seen in "The Force Awakens."
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Johnson's Tumblr post may indicate that Maz Kanata survived the First Order attack on her fortress and that she will appear in "Episode VIII." However, the director did not clarify whether or not the Tumblr photo was taken during the filming of J.J. Abram's "Episode VII" or during the current filming of "Episode VIII."
Regardless, fans are waiting to see if "Episode VIII" will tell Maz Kanata's backstory or, at the very least, why she seems to have Force powers and how she came to be in possession of Luke's lightsaber.
Meanwhile, "The Force Awakens" star Daisy Ridley has compared her experiences working on "Episode VII" and "Episode VIII." During a live Facebook chat on Monday, Ridley said (via Entertainment Weekly), "They're honestly two very different things."
"[The Force Awakens] was like the beginning of the whole thing, and it was terrifying and incredibly rewarding," she explained. "I felt like I pushed myself beyond boundaries I thought I had. Now I feel more together and present."
"I know what people liked in [The Force Awakens] and now I feel like I'm carrying that responsibility, which is nicer cause I feel like I'm more part of it," she added. "I couldn't say I'm enjoying either one more. It's all this incredible journey."
"Star Wars: Episode VIII" is in cinemas Dec. 15, 2017.
