'Star Wars' news is all the rage

Posted Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 5:07 PM Central
Last updated Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 5:08 PM Central

by John Couture

It might sound like a broken record, but perhaps you've heard that there's a new Star Wars film coming out this year. In my absence last week, Tim was kind enough to pick up the Star Wars slack and post a few stories about "Force Friday" and several new TV series that have popped up in the build up to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Today marks a rather significant countdown milestone, there are exactly 100 days until Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuts in theaters. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I thought I'd switch things up a bit. You may have noticed that the holiday and my extended vacation threw a bit of a monkey wrench in our usual weekly features The Monday Mixer and Cooter's Watch List. I assure you that they will both return in their normal slots next week, but there were a couple of Star Wars bits that I just couldn't wait to share with you.

The switching things up part is that neither of these nuggets relate to The Force Awakens. Rather, both of my little tidbits concern the third movie that we will see in the next 21 months, Star Wars: Episode VIII. It seems that everything out there right now is either related to The Force Awakens or Rogue One and rightfully so, but we are starting to get some information about Rian Johnson's contribution to the franchise.

Originally EW reported that The Force Awakens was going to return to the island Skellig Michael later this month for reshoots. As it turns out, the footage being shot will not be for The Force Awakens, but rather for Episode VIII.

Skellig Michael is an island off the south coast of Ireland and is renowned for its distinctive ruins. If I had to guess, they will factor into the Jedi or the Sith as they resemble some Jedi ruins that we've seen in Star Wars: Rebels. Here are a couple of shots of the island.

So, who is going to be in the next installment of the main trilogy? Obviously, some if not most of those from The Force Awakens will return. But one new major character is going to be a young female who is rumored to be Han Solo's daughter. But wait, if they are just now casting Han's daughter, then does that mean that Daisy Ridley's Rey will not be Han and Leia's daughter?

There are three actresses rumored to be in the running for the plum role. They are Gina Rodriguez, Tatiana Maslany and Olivia Cooke and all three share a similar look that is not all that much different from Daisy Ridley. Hmm, could Han have some illegitimate kids running around out there? He is scoundrel after all and is prone to shoot first and ask questions later.

Time will only tell.