From the moment it was announced Rian Johnson would be directing “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” fans have been excitedly wondering what kind of special sauce the director of genre-bending films like “Looper” and “Brick” (not to mention a few of the best episodes of “Breaking Bad”) will bring to the universe George Lucas created.

Speaking with The Times last year, Lawrence Kasdan – the co-writer of “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” “The Force Awakens” and one of the key keepers of the “Star Wars” flame – suggested that Johnson would be taking the franchise into heretofore uncharted creative territory.

“Rian Johnson is a friend of mine — he’s going to make some weird thing,” Kasdan said. “If you’ve seen Rian’s work, you know it’s not going be like anything that’s ever been in ‘Star Wars.’ ”

Now, in an interview with The Times to promote the upcoming superhero epic “X-Men: Apocalyse,” opening May 27, actor Oscar Isaac – who played ace Resistance starfighter pilot Poe Dameron in “The Force Awakens” and will reprise the role in the series’ next installment – is confirming that Johnson will indeed shake things up in “Episode VIII.”


“I would agree with [Kasdan],” said Isaac. “Rian is definitely going to places and investigating things that haven’t really been done in the ‘Star Wars’ universe. For me, it’s so fun getting to explore different things that I wouldn’t have expected in this universe.

“In some ways it feels like we’re making an independent film,” added the actor, who has starred in critically acclaimed indies such as “Ex Machina,” “A Most Violent Year” and “Inside Llewyn Davis.” “Certain things we get to play with – this kind of intimacy that we get to find – it’s special. It’s been really fun.”

With production on “Episode VIII” currently underway in England, virtually nothing – not even so much as a title – has been revealed at this point about the film. About the only thing Johnson himself has said, in an answer to a fan on Twitter, is that BB-8 will be back in the film. (“Man, you’d have to admire my cojones if he wasn’t,” he joked.)

For now, if “Star Wars” fans want a better idea of what Kasdan and Isaac mean by a weirder, more intimate and indie-flavored “Star Wars,” patience they must have.


1 / 28 Among the new characters in “Star Wars: Episode VII -- The Force Awakens” is Finn (John Boyega), who may or may not have the power of the Force. (Lucasfilm / Disney) 2 / 28 BB-8 pops up in “Force Awakens.” (Disney) 3 / 28 A firefight in the sky in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Disney) 4 / 28 “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” shows the back end of a new X-Wing. (Disney) 5 / 28 Daisy Ridley as Rey in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Disney) 6 / 28 John Boyega as Finn in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Disney) 7 / 28 Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Disney) 8 / 28 Rey (Daisy Ridley) speeds across the desert in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm / Disney) 9 / 28 Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron and John Boyega as Finn in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (Disney) 10 / 28 Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is an ace pilot in “The Force Awakens.” (David James / Lucasfilm) 11 / 28 Chewbacca and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm / Disney) 12 / 28 R2-D2 and C-3PO are also returning in “The Force Awakens.” ( David James / Lucasfilm) 13 / 28 The villainous Empire of the original trilogy has been replaced by the sinister First Order in “The Force Awakens,” which takes place about 30 years after the events in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi.” (Lucasfilm / Disney) 14 / 28 The First Order displays its mght in “The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm ) 15 / 28 First Order stormtroopers are shown in a scene from “The Force Awakens.” (Film Frame / Associated Press) 16 / 28 Shown is Captain Phasma, played by “Game of Thrones” star Gwendoline Christie, in a scene from “The Force Awakens.” (Film Frame / Associated Press) 17 / 28 Domhnall Gleeson stars as General Hux in “The Force Awakens.” (David James / Associated Press) 18 / 28 Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is another new villain in “The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm) 19 / 28 Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) wields his fancy new lightsaber in “The Force Awakens.” (Associated Press) 20 / 28 The Millennium Falcon is back in action in “The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm / Disney) 21 / 28 A dogfight takes place near what looks like the wreck of an Imperial Star Destroyer in “The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm ) 22 / 28 Rey (Daisy Ridley), left, the pint-sized droid BB-8, and Finn (John Boyega) make a break for it in a scene from “The Force Awakens.” (Film Frame / Associated Press) 23 / 28 The droid BB-8 and Rey (Daisy Ridley) cross paths with a scavenger named Teedo mounted on a Luggabeast in a scene from “The Force Awakens.” (David James / Lucasfilm) 24 / 28 Finn (John Boyega) runs past a crashed TIE fighter in “The Force Awakens.” (David James / Lucasfilm) 25 / 28 Finn gets a helping hand in a scene from “The Force Awakens.” (Film Frame / Associated Press) 26 / 28 Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) appears with stormtroopers in a scene from “The Force Awakens.” (David James / Lucasfilm) 27 / 28 A lightsaber changes hands in a trailer for “The Force Awakens.” Why didn’t this scene make it into the movie? (Lucasfilm) 28 / 28 A explosion hurls a stormtrooper in the air in “The Force Awakens.” (Lucasfilm)

Twitter: @joshrottenberg

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