If you thought Luke Skywalker hanging off the edge of Cloud City was nerve-wracking, you’re not going to have a good time with Star Wars: Episode VIII.
Actor Warwick Davis just confirmed two new tidbits of information about the next upcoming chapter of the Star Wars saga. First off, the longtime actor will appear in some shape or form or in director Rian Johnson’s as-yet-untitled follow-up to last year’s The Force Awakens, but more importantly it seems the eighth installment of the series will end on some kind of epic cliffhanger.
Speaking to News.com.au, Davis spoke about The Force Awakens as a good set up for the newly invigorated space epic, and then invoked the good name of The Empire Strikes Back about where the characters of the series will end up after the next film.
He told the Australian news site:
There were some wonderful moments, some moving moments and it was full of all the action that we expect, so for me it ticked all the boxes, I loved it. And I think it sets up the trilogy very well. Obviously we’re moving into the territory of Episode VIII very soon as well, and much like Empire Strikes Back I’m sure it’s going to deliver some quite impactful story moments, and it’ll leave us with some cliffhangers as well which resolve in Episode IX.
It’s definitely old hat by now for actors and filmmakers to mention Empire when talking about a sequel, but the key thing here is Davis stressing that Episode VII will follow suit by leaving audiences guessing when the credits role. He had to obviously stay vague, but at least we’re prepped to anticipate some Han-in-carbonite levels of suspense.
He stayed even more vague about who he’ll play in the next movie, giving the typical non-answer of any actor who is set to appear in Star Wars. When News.com.au asked if he’s in Episode VIII he said, “Yes. That’s all I can say.”
Davis is one of the Star Wars saga’s most familiar faces, though you wouldn’t know it since he’s appeared as a bevy of masked characters in a few different Star Wars movies. He made his first foray into the galaxy far, far away as Wicket, the heroic Ewok in Return of the Jedi, then returned to the saga as young Anakin’s friend Wald and also as the gambler Weazel in The Phantom Menace*.
He most recently had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in The Force Awakens as Wollivan, a patron of Maz Kanatas castle. In fact, here’s his entire role:
Davis as the anteater-esque Wollivan.
Davis will also turn up in Rogue One in an undisclosed appearance, and now the same goes for Episode VIII. Here’s hoping Wollivan makes a more substantial return this time around.
