Rian Johnson: Only “a few more days of work” left on The Last Jedi (and about those IX rumors…)

The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is in Japan talking up Star Wars, and at a press conference he said the movie is all but finished, with “only a few days left of work.” He also announced that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a voice cameo as an alien.

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The Last Jedi in print: Empire, Phasma interview, Visual Dictionary cover

Empire Magazine’s big The Last Jedi issue is nigh, and the subscriber and newstand covers have been revealed. The issue is out there, and if you feel like squinting, you can read the article scans right this second.

→ Read Phasma yet? You’ll want to check out James’ interview with author Delilah S. Dawson. If not, there’s a new excerpt.

→ The cover for Pablo Hidalgo’s The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary has been spotted on Random House. It doesn’t say “not final cover!”

The Last Jedi: Maz’s role, wipe transitions and what about Phasma?

Making Star Wars’ latest is about Maz Kanata and her role in this film, which we already know will be fairly small. They also have some indications that we haven’t seen the last of Jakku in this trilogy.

→ Rian Johnson has revealed that The Last Jedi will have a record low number of wipe transitions for a Star Wars film: 12. The reigning champion is The Phantom Menace, which had 55. Of course, there was a poll.

→ A new rumor from Reddit and SWNN claims that we won’t actually see Phasma without her helmet. Would Vanity Fair lie to us? (Well, maybe.)

The Last Jedi: What Pablo actually said about Luke and Leia

Pablo Hidalgo’s been at Comic Con Chile this weekend, and it seems that some of his statements have been lost in translation/misquoted/overstated, particularly something about the status of a Luke and Leia reunion. io9 reached out and got him to clarify. (Mind, he’s not saying it doesn’t happen, just that they were speaking of the Vanity Fair photos.)

→ John Boyega shows off Finn’s blaster for The Last Jedi on his Instagram. Like the rest of his new gear, or at least what we’ve seen, it’s basically the one Poe had in The Force Awakens.

→ Rian Johnson’s comments on romance in The Last Jedi sent some tremors through the hopes of a few of the trilogy’s shipping communities. Vanity Fair writer David Kamp shares the full quote in context.

Johnson’s shot of Annie Leibovitz shooting them, as seen in the Vanity Fair video. Shotception!

→ And finally, in spoiler corner, some Lego sets have leaked. They feature at least one newish vehicle, minifigs of Supreme Leader Snoke (which may confirm his new look,) Vice Admiral Holdo, a new(ish) variation of droid and a rank change for Poe. The images aren’t long for this world, but they are up at Imgur for the moment. (via)

Adam Driver may be the only person not charmed by a John Boyega hug and other The Last Jedi tidbits

Vanity Fair is following up their blockbuster cover story and portfolio with a number of The Last Jedi sidebars today.

→ First up, how seriously Adam Driver takes his role as Kylo Ren. Includes priceless anecdotes from Mark Hamill and John Boyega.

→ Kathleen Kennedy and Rian Johnson dodge questions about the title.

Rey’s lightsaber is now officially Rey’s lightsaber, says Pablo Hidalgo. (Sorry, Anakin.) And what about Luke’s? (The green one.) Well…

What’s not in The Last Jedi? Romance. There’s “no one-to-one equivalent of the Han-to-Leia, burning, unrequited love.” Johnson says. “In our story, that’s not a centerpiece.” Good.

→ And finally, Kathleen Kenndy on Carrie Fisher, Episode IX, and other future films.