Next ‘Star Wars’ Film to Be Shot in U.K.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens recently wrapped up filming at Pinewood Studios and it looks like the eighth installment of the Star Wars series will also be filmed in the U.K.

Ivan Dunleavy, CEO of U.K. production facilities company Pinewood Shepperton, made the announcement Monday at the annual conference of the Confederation of British Industry. Dunleavy welcomed R2D2 on stage with him as he shared the news and explained that R2D2 was built in the U.K. 37 years ago.

“Since then he’s spent a lot of his life in foreign studios. But now he’s back home. The seventh Star Wars movie just finished shooting – at Pinewood. And I’m delighted to be able to tell you that a new Star Wars movie is already booked in,” Dunleavy stated. “If we want to keep R2D2 and his friends here, then we need to see sustained government action to keep U.K. film a thriving and fast-growing industry, an industry to do Britain proud.”

It is unknown when Star Wars: Episode VIII will begin filming, but Disney plans to release the film in 2017. Rian Johnson will write and direct it.

The seventh film in the series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, hits theaters December 18, 2015.