Star Wars Episode VIII title starring the late Carrie Fisher is finally revealed

It's the moment all Star Wars fans have been waiting for; Episode VIII finally has an official title, The Last Jedi. The news comes shortly after the tragic news of Princess Leia actress Carrie Fisher's death, giving fans a beacon of hope for what's in store.

The follow-up to The Force Awakens tweeted the news of the title directly to its followers on social media sharing site Twitter.

Announced via the official Star Wars account, the statement read: "It's official. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is the next chapter of the Skywalker saga. This December.#TheLastJedi"

The Twitter post also included a link to a statement on starwars.com. It reads: "We have the greatest fans in this or any other galaxy. In appreciation of the fans, we wanted them to be the first to know the title of the next chapter in the Skywalker saga."

The Last Jedi is set to follow The Force Awakens in the main Star Wars narrative. It is scheduled to be released on 15 December 2017, and presumably picks up where the 2015 movie left off. The forthcoming Han Solo film, and Rogue One, are both standalone films in what is termed the Star Wars Anthology series.

The highly-anticipated picture is set to star the late Carrie Fisher alongside new faces Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega. Fisher had completed shooting her scenes on the film before her death in December 2016.

It is being written and directed by Johnson, while Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman are producing and JJ Abrams will executive produce.