‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Starts With Cliffhanger Scene

The latest Star Wars movie will begin with a significant change for the series, picking up right where the events of The Force Awakens left off.

While most films in the saga take place years after the previous installment, Star Wars: The Last Jedi will begin with that moment on Ahch-To where Rey has found Luke Skywalker.

Rian Johnson confirmed the film’s opening scene on Jimmy Kimmel Live, while Mark Hamill chimed in moments later to call it “A literal cliffhanger.”

“I love the visual pun,” Hamill said. “I’m standing on a cliff.”

Asked if that was what director J.J. Abrams intended, Hamill said “I hope so.”

“J.J. has a great sense of humor,” Hamill said. “I suggested they print ‘To Be Continued’ on my forehead but he said no, that’s a bridge too far.”

Johnson reiterated that the film begins right after The Force Awakens ends, making it one of the only Star Wars movies that’s a direct continuation of a previous film. Well, unless you count Rogue One and A New Hope, but that’s a slightly different circumstance.

“We pick it up right after the events of the last movie,” Johnson said before shutting up. For a guy so tight on the spoilers, he was probably beating himself up for letting that one slip.

If we go straight to Ahch-To in the opening moments of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, it would be one of the only times that a Star Wars film has not opened with a scene set in space. This could be another huge change for the saga, if it indeed goes straight to the planet’s surface.

Ever since A New Hope, each film in the Star Wars saga has began with a scene taking place in space. Even in The Force Awakens began on a First Order Stormtrooper carrier, even though it didn’t stay in space for too long.

We’ll find out how the new movie breaks from tradition when Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres in theaters on December 15.