Star Wars: The Last Jedi star Mark Hamill is teasing the film will keep fans guessing with the different directions the story goes in. If there was one common criticism about The Force Awakens, it's that the film was perhaps a little too devoted to recapturing the magic of the original trilogy, liberally borrowing exact plot points from A New Hope. While there was enough new content to set the stage for an exciting future, the parallels were clear to many viewers, and the hope is Episode VIII won't simply remake The Empire Strikes Back. Writer/director Rian Johnson has promised his film is no retread, and the marketing campaign is supporting that claim.
The first teaser that debuted at Celebration Orlando and the massive Vanity Fair spread hinted at a Star Wars episode unlike any other, with a deep dive exploration of the galaxy's first class and an expansion of the concept of the Force. Hamill has been at the forefront of hyping up The Last Jedi, saying his experience making the film made Johnson one of his favorite directors. The actor got into some hot water with perceived criticisms of the story, but has assured everyone it's all for the best. Sometimes, being surprised is a good thing.
Speaking with Access Hollywood at D23, Hamill once again praised Johnson's vision for the eighth chapter in the Skywalker saga, complimenting the director for being collaborative and easy-going through the whole process. Further elaborating on his infamous "fundamentally disagreed" comments, Hamill explained why he's on board with it now:
"Unexpected is good in a Star Wars film because you've seen so much. We have to find another way to throw a curveball and keep the audience on the edge of their seat, hopefully."
Luke's cryptic line in the trailer, "It's time for the Jedi to end," was certainly a major curveball, subverting expectations many had for Skywalker. It's clear from the footage he is going to be training Rey in the ways of the Force, but his methods may be very different from Yoda's. Though details are hard to come by, fans are theorizing Luke has developed a new path to follow - one that goes beyond the light and dark sides of old. As surprising as this is, it's a logical direction for the character, who suffered a tremendous tragedy when Ben Solo betrayed him and became Kylo Ren. In order to defeat Snoke and the First Order, Luke has to try something else, and Rey looks to be the guinea pig. This should make their interactions in Last Jedi fascinating to watch, since there's no telling what way it will go.
Outside of Luke's portrayal, the rest of Episode VIII is promising to offer plenty of new content. Finn's storyline sees him embark on a dangerous undercover mission behind enemy lines, General Leia could have a political rival in Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo, and locations like Crait and Canto Bight are unlike anything that's been onscreen before in the galaxy far, far away. Hopefully, The Last Jedi really is as different as the creative team says and fans are treated to a wild ride.
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Source: Access Hollywood
