Star Wars Episode VIII, the follow-up to The Force Awakens, has had its release date moved back seven months from May 26, 2017 to December 15, 2017, Disney has announced.
No reason for the push has been given, but it does now mean that the film will open almost exactly two years after its prequel.
Variety points out that the new date is pretty dire news for Warner, which had chosen the same December 15 date for Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see WB move its release into more open space.
Thankfully Star Wars fans don’t have to wait two years for their next fix, with standalone project Rogue One still lined-up for December 16, 2016.
Episode VIII is in pre-production, with principal photography to begin in London next month. Rian Johnson is directing.
Source: Variety
