Captain Phasma may have featured heavily in the promotional build-up to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the First Order villain received relatively little screentime in the final movie. However, actress Gwendoline Christie has now confirmed that she will be back for Episode 8.

As Collider reports, Christie discussed her role at the recent SAG Awards, where she was nominated as part of Game of Thrones' ensemble cast. "I will be in the next Star Wars movie," she stated. "I think that's an exclusive, actually."

Christie went on to speak about being cast as the Star Wars saga's first female villain. "I was very overexcited," she said. "I made no secret of the fact that I really campaigned for the part for a long time. And then I was delighted when JJ Abrams wanted to have me in the film and then wanted to cast me in this role that had originally been designed for a man.

"I thought the costume was incredibly striking. I also just liked this notion of a female Stormtrooper. I felt it encouraged diversity and it was doing something new and it was an interesting bit of casting for women."

Production on Episode 8 is expected to begin soon. In the past few days both Daisy Ridley and Anthony Daniels have teased the arrival of their scripts. Ridley, who plays Rey in the new films, posted a picture on Instagram of the screenplay alongside a bouquet of flowers, while C-3PO star Daniels tweeted:

Just read Ep VIII and thought I'd share the story with you because I know you can't wait to hear it too. You do want to hear it. Don't you? — Anthony Daniels (@ADaniels3PO) January 29, 2016

Star Wars: Episode 8 will be directed by Rian Johnson, and hits cinemas on December 15, 2017.