Star Wars: The Force Awakens is smashing box office records, currently banking $2 billion in worldwide gross and rising. More importantly, its director J.J. Abrams managed to successfully reignite the aging, iconic franchise by infusing the classic characters and tropes from the original trilogy with fresh protagonists and exhilarating, awe-inspiring storytelling.

The saga continues with Star Wars: Episode VIII. Abrams is handing the reigns to Rian Johnson, and the Looper director initiated principal photography on the highly anticipated sequel at Pinewood Studios in London today. Disney and Lucasfilm welcome  Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran into the Star Wars universe. They join the talented cast from The Force Awakens including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. In typical Star Wars fashion, the new trio’s roles are being kept tightly under wraps.

Now, skip after the break to watch the exciting “Episode VIII Production Announcement” video. From the looks of it, we’ll be picking up right where we left off in The Force Awakens, (spoiler alert) cliffside with Rey offering a bearded Luke Skywalker his familial lightsaber.

Star Wars: Episode VIII, originally slated for a spring 2017 release, hits theatres December 15, 2017.

[Via Star Wars]