Why ‘Star Wars Episode VIII’ Will Be Even Better Than ‘Episode VII’

Although it will be impossible to match all the hype and anticipation that accompanied Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the next installment of the beloved space opera can be potentially better. This is because authorities like director J.J. Abrams and actors like Daisy Ridley and Benicio Del Toro all agree that Episode VIII‘s working script is simply extraordinary.

In fact, when Abrams got hold of the script for Episode VIII the very first time, International Business Times reports that the Stars Wars: The Force Awakens director got so ecstatic that he couldn’t contain his amusement. He even regretted not directing the next installment of the Star Wars franchise. The torch was passed on to Rian Johnson early on in the planning stages for the seventh to the ninth episodes.

The consensus was that Abrams will stay on as executive producer for Episode VIII. Everyone knows that he did a fantastic job with The Force Awakens, yet at the same time, the Star Wars planning committee wanted to inject new blood into the series. Now this is a tad risky, which is why Abrams has been tasked with overseeing the new Star Wars project for continuity as well as consistency.

It is now evident from the finished product that the Abrams formula was to be as faithful as possible to the original spirit of Star Wars so evident in Episodes IV to VI. Obviously, the creator of the entire space opera itself, George Lucas, fumbled with the prequels by diverging from the original recipe. In comparison, J.J. Abrams keenly understood the saying “that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

At the same time, better scripting and dialogue for The Force Awakens worked to the episode’s advantage. The prequels were hurt tremendously by stale dialogue, which not even a seasoned actress like Natalie Portman could manage to resurrect. And since there is already widespread agreement that Episode VIII has the best script thus far, things are looking up for the next Star Wars, which will be coming out in theaters in December, 2017.

Excellent dialogue was one of the main ingredients that made Star Wars iconic. Who can forget all those witty exchanges between Han Solo and Princess Leia, to name just a few. Now contrast this with Jar Jar Binks’ fumbling lingo, and it will be easy to understand why the prequels failed where the sequels succeeded.

Another good thing going for Star Wars Episode VIII is that Abrams has sworn to keep no secret formulas from Johnson and the rest of his creative team. If so, this episode can go down in history as an open secret and a true labor of love. And one of the reasons why there are directorial changes for every episode to come, according to Abrams, is to give as much creative legroom as possible to the filmmaking process, or so reports Cinema Blend.

The director would prove that his approach to Star Trek works just as well with Star Wars. Still, the assigned director to the Episode VIII project, Johnson, is being given as much directorial freedom as possible without sacrificing continuity as well as consistency.

Adam Driver, who plays Kylo Ren, concurs that the next episode has the best script ever. ABC News has Driver act as a spokesman for what 2017 audiences can expect from Star Wars Episode VIII, and he has nothing but kind words for director Johnson.

“I can’t wait to get on set, just because he’s so unassuming and intelligent and approachable.”

Here are some tips from the Kylo Ren actor.

“The First Order and the Resistance are in conflict still: They’re still at war… Expect new faces… [and] It picks up where the last installment left off.”

There may be other features of Star Wars Episode VIII that fans of the science fiction saga will come to know about in the coming months as film production progresses. An excellent script is always the perfect way to start.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]