The Last Jedi Sizzle Reel Shows New Footage

Screen Rant

Star Wars: The Last Jedi BTS Video Reveals New Footage

By Chris Agar

Published Oct 24, 2017

A new behind-the-scenes reel from Star Wars: The Last Jedi reveals new footage from the film, while an image of Luke shows the Jedi by his books.

See this exclusive new behind-the-scenes video from #StarWars with the late Carrie Fisher: https://t.co/QOPhwXIfP0 pic.twitter.com/16vGw5waZY— USA TODAY Life (@usatodaylife) October 24, 2017

A Star Wars: The Last Jedi behind-the-scenes video that reveals fresh footage from the film and a new image of Luke Skywalker standing by his Jedi history library have been released online. With under two months until the highly-anticipated sequel reaches theaters, Lucasfilm is ramping up their marketing efforts to 11 - increasing the already fervent levels of hype. This month saw the grand unveiling of the full theatrical trailer and poster, raising numerous questions about the nature of the story. Die-hard fans would prefer to not see anything else from the movie until December, but the studio is just getting started in terms of promotion.

The TV commercials have already started, showcasing new Last Jedi dialogue as people try to piece the plot together. Pretty soon, international trailers and spots will be flooding the internet, and as a primer, Lucasfilm has unveiled a new featurette that takes fans behind-the-scenes of production (watch it above), as well as another look at Luke on Ahch-To.

Released as exclusives to USA Today, there isn't much new information to be gleaned from either, but they're still fun to check out. The video is very reminiscent of the sizzle reel that debuted during the D23 Expo, featuring quotes from Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Mark Hamill about the exciting new directions to story goes in. Writer/director Rian Johnson also discusses his personal connection with the Star Wars franchise, remarking how he balanced being a fan and filmmaker on the set. This video does include some new shots, most notably a quick glimpse of Benicio del Toro's DJ walking alongside Finn and Rose Tico in First Order disguises. Much has been made about the codebreaker's enigmatic nature, but this makes it seem like he's aligned with our heroes. There's also a short look at Ridley working with Johnson in what seems to be Supreme Leader Snoke's throne room, which could be from a scene depicted in the latest trailer.

As for the Luke photo, it's very clearly taken from a sequence on Ahch-To, with the Jedi Master standing in front of a book shelf inside a cave. Considering Episode VIII covers "age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past," it should be interesting to watch this scene play out in the movie. It's long been presumed these publications detail the history of the Jedi and the Force, which makes sense given Luke is on a quest to find the first Temple. Skywalker is wearing his darker-colored costume that's been prevalent in other marketing materials, so this scene could be from later on in the film. The Last Jedi picks up just moments after The Force Awakens (a first for the franchise), so in the beginning, Luke will be wearing his lighter-toned Episode VII outfit. Most likely, Rey is in the cave with Luke, learning more about her powers and (possibly) her heritage.

Going back to the video, it's abundantly apparent Johnson had the time of his life in the galaxy far, far away, getting lumps in his throat as he boarded the Millennium Falcon and frequently stepping back to reflect on his amazing opportunity to add to the Star Wars legacy. At this point, the only thing left is to see what the critical response to The Last Jedi is, so hopefully Johnson's enthusiasm for the material translated into an entertaining and heartfelt chapter of the saga and sets the stage for an even better Episode IX.