Star Wars Episode 8 Director Reveals More Details

Star Wars: Episode VIII director Rian Johnson spoke to USA Today about the highly anticipated film, telling the publication about the movie's tone, characters, and more.

We've collected some of the notable quotes, some of which contain spoilers. Scroll down to see what Johnson had to say about Episode VIII.

Regarding Episode VIII's tone, Johnson said, "I want it to be a blast and to be funny and to be a ride the way The Force Awakens and the original Star Wars movies were." Some of Episode VIII's actors have said the movie will be "darker" than The Force Awakens, but it remains to be seen what that means.

Johnson went on to say the story will provide more details on the characters Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac). "I wanted to know more about each of them, and that doesn't just mean information or backstory," he explained. "Figure out what's the most difficult thing each of them could be challenged with now--let's throw that at them and dig into what really makes them tick by seeing how they handle that."

Additionally, Johnson shared that Rey and Luke Skywalker are going to bond even more. Rey is just beginning to grow accustomed to her powers--this is not unlike adolescence, Johnson said.

According to USA Today, Johnson said the "deepening of familial themes" in the movie will play a "huge part" in the story, especially for Rey. This sounds like a reference to the question around who Rey's parents are. Ridley has teased that Episode VIII could reveal details about her parentage.

Episode VIII picks up immediately after The Force Awakens, so you can expect one of the first scenes to involve Luke and Rey.

One very intriguing element of Episode VIII is Luke Skywalker. "What's going on with Luke Skywalker?" is something a lot of fans are wondering, Johnson said. "I'm approaching it with a take that I hope feels honest and real and is going to be interesting to folks and make sense," he said.

Johnson also said Episode VIII has an official title, but it's not yet time to reveal it. Go to USA Today to read the full interview.

Following a delay, Episode VIII arrives in theaters on December 15, 2017. It also stars Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis.

The newest Star Wars film, December's Rogue One, was finally bested at the US box office after a multi-week run as the No. 1 movie.