Star Wars: Episode VIII Director Locked Title Long, Long Ago

01/15/2017 04:46 pm EST

It is 2017, and fans of Star Wars seem to all want one thing: an update on Episode VIII. Last year, Lucasfilm kept hype alive for the franchise with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and this year will see the next saga installment hit theaters come December. The studio has been remarkably quite about Star Wars: Episode VIII updates, but there are now drops of information disseminating across the Internet. Thanks to director Rian Johnson, fans have learned just a bit more about the movie. And, apparently, it seems like the project's yet-released title is one he knew from the get-go.

NEXT: Star Wars: Episode VIII Could Have Significant Rebels Tie-In

Speaking to USA Today, Johnson shared five must-know facts about Episode VIII, and it was there that the director said he locked in on a title before he even started working on the movie. "It was in the very first draft I wrote," he admitted.

When asked whether he wanted to get the title off his chest, Johnson said he'd "blurt it out right now" if he could, but he wants fans to be told a title with proper decorum.

"All in good time, my friend," he stressed.

Of course, fans have had their suspicions about Episode VIII and its possible titles. Back in December, fans wondered if the title was released thanks to a trademark request filed by Lucasfilm for Star Wars Force of Destiny, but plenty were quick to shoot down the theory. ComicBook.com's Star Wars expert Lucas Siegel felt the possibility was shady at best.

"The problem with this as a title of a film is it isn't doing anything. Episodes 1 and 4 lacked a verb, but both had "Emerges" as the implied verb behind their phrases. Everything else? Attack, Revenge, Strikes, Return, Awakens; I'd expect Episode VIII to follow suit with an active title."

Star Wars: Episode VIII is written and directed by Rian Johnson, continuing the saga films. Star Wars expands their universe with Rogue One, the first of their new standalone movies that take place without a focus on anyone named Skywalker.

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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is in theaters today.

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