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Adam Driver Talks ‘Star Wars Episode 8’: Compares To ‘Empire Strikes Back’

By Liz Kelley
Published on: 00:23 PST, Sep 16, 2016

Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) has opened up on his views concerning Rian Johnson’s script and directing, as well as his feelings about Star Wars Episode VIII.

Amid many circulating rumors, Driver’s interview with Collider has appealed to news-hungry fans eager for information about the much-anticipated film. Cinema Blend has said that Driver’s comments are encouraging for those who loved Force Awakens as well those who did not.

Driver has specifically compared the upcoming addition to the saga to arguably the most popular Star Wars installment: The Empire Strikes Back. While some may find this exciting, others have likely been concerned that the movie will be too dark — since in many ways, Episode V is the most intense film in the original trilogy.

However, Driver has said that the movie will not be “dark,” per se, but it will be “different.”

“For that people always go ‘oooh, it’s dark’ but I don’t know that it necessarily is,” Adam explained. “It’s just different in tone in a way that I think is great and necessary but also very clear. He trusts [that] his audience is ready for nuance and ambiguity. He’s not dumbing anything down for someone and that’s really fun to play.”

If many fans of Star Wars were indignant about the portrayal of Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens, they may find this report encouraging. After all, if Rian Johnson is not “dumbing anything down,” maybe this means that Kylo will mature in a new way–and not just because he is supposedly going to kill Luke (Mark Hamill) at one point in film. And Collider agreed that dissenters of Episode VII might like the daring of Johnson better than the tiptoeing of Abrams’s direction–which they say resulted in a movie that was “a bit too safe and familiar.”

According to The Inquisitr, Driver noted in a earlier interview that at the end of the day Rian Johnson and J.J. Abrams just have “different” temperaments.

Also, Collider reported that having words like “nuance and ambiguity” bandied around is a huge plus.

“For all its fantastic characters and consistent, joyous thrills, [Star Wars] has never been great with the small stuff, like any moment that diverges from the turns of the plot.”

Driver attests to this added pressure, which he confirms is being taken into account in the production of the eighth episode.

“The stakes are even higher, I think. No one’s relaxing. Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but I didn’t feel more relaxed as if we’d accomplished anything. It’s one more reason we have to redouble our efforts and just make it even more specific, but then you also have to let it all go and not think too much while you’re working on it.”

Even though the “stakes are higher,” Adam explained that ultimately it’s not his responsibility to please everyone.

“It’s not my job to worry about the bigger picture or what it means or try to appease a certain group of people. It’s my job to read the script, be prepared, and be generous to the other people that I’m acting with in order to tell the best version of the story that Rian came up with. Then whatever it means and whatever meaning people attach to it, by that point it’s not my responsibility.”

On a different note, many people are still curious about what Rey (Daisy Ridley) will be doing in Episode VIII. HNGN reported what we have all assumed — that Luke and Rey will probably be together for much of the film — but they added a twist.

“There are also rumors which said that there is also a battle to happen between Rey [and Kylo], played by Daisy Ridley. However, several reports also have it that Luke is part of Rey’s past. Luke and Rey are said to have a time travel scene on Star Wars Episode 8 where they will be able to land on an old Jedi Temple.”

What could this mean? Is Luke a part of Rey’s past? Will people be interested in seeing in another duel between Kylo and Rey?

[Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Images]

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