Star Wars Episode 8 Release Date

By Jenny Espinueva Aug 24, 2014 06:13 PM EDT

Star Wars Episode 8 Release Date

With Star Wars Episode 7 still in its production phase and set to be released in December 18 2015, it has been confirmed that Episode 8 is set to be released 2 years after the seventh episode would have been shown in theaters. And if sources are to be believed episode 7 director J.J. Abrams will no longer be tapped to direct the next 2 episodes.

According to sources from Variety, Disney and Lucas film are now in talks with "Looper" director Rian Johnson to spearhead the next two films. Deadline has also confirmed the news, with the movie site claiming that Johnson will take over from Abrams once the deal has been finalized. However this change has not been officially confirmed.

Recent spoilers have also hinted that original cast members Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher will no longer be part of Episode 8 onwards; Episode 7 will reportedly be used as a send-off for the two pillars of the franchise.

Aside from the three films which will continue the Star Wars saga, stand-alone films are also in the works. In an interview with CNBC Disney chairman Bob Iger mentioned that Disney and Lucas film are working on a few standalone films, with characters derived from the Star Wars characters. Although he did not confirm which characters the spin-offs will be based on, he mentioned that the original plan was to release a core film every two years from 2015 with a spin-off released in between. He also mentioned in the interview that the still unnamed spin- offs will be released within the next ten years.