Episode VIII Brings Star Wars Back To May Release Dates

It’s also written and directed by Rian Johnson… but you probably already knew that.

One of the things I think will feel legitimately odd about The Force Awakens is that it’s being released in theaters as a Christmas movie… NOT the typical May release date of the previous six episodes.  It honestly doesn’t make a super ton of difference to me, but it’s interesting that Episode VIII will return the franchise to its May roots after the first two new movies– Episode VII and Rogue One— both drop in December.

Episode VIII will be released, specifically, on May 26, 2017… which is only a year and a half after The Force Awakens.  This is another big change for the franchise, which until now took at least three years between new films.  I expect JJ Abrams and his cohorts to make the most of this more narrow window, and leave us on a particularly upsetting cliffhanger.

The other fun fact about the May 26th release date?  It’s only one day off from the 40th anniversary of the original Star Wars.  That’s pretty cool, and I cannot imagine Lucasfilm and Disney not capitalizing on that anniversary (you know, beyond effectively releasing two movies in theaters that year).

Of all the Star Wars films we know of, Episode VIII is the one I am most excited for.  I like Abrams– he’s a great visual director, and I am positive The Force Awakens will at least LOOK amazing– and I like Rogue One‘s Gareth Edwards.  But I LOVE Rian Johnson, who’s a strong three-for-three with his movies coming onto this project.  This guy has some serious talent, as a filmmaker, a visualist, and a writer… and having him both pen and film his Star Wars movie tells me Disney has as much confidence in him as I do.

We’ll know for sure in just over two years.  And crazy as it sounds to wrap my head around… we’ll be seeing TWO (!!!) new Star Wars movies in the meantime!

Source: Badass Digest