The Star Wars series may be set in a galaxy far, far away, but the inspiration for the film’s new director Rian Johnson comes from something rather more earthbound and old-fashioned – the grit and guts of classic British war movies.

The 42 year old filmmaker, whose CV includes Looper and The Brothers Bloom, was speaking at the Star Wars Celebration conference in London and told the crowd during a Q&A session that the inspiration for Star Wars: Episode VIII came from classic war films like Bridge On the River Kwai and Twelve O’Clock High.

Rian JohnsonRian Johnson spoke about his inspiration for directing 'Star Wars: Episode VIII'

According to the Guardian, Johnson said that he had instructed every producer and crew-member to watch David Lean’s classic war film Bridge On the River Kwai from 1957, which featured a younger Alec Guinness, himself a prominent part of the first Star Wars film A New Hope 20 years later.

That movie, widely considered a classic, as well as Henry King’s 1949 film Twelve O’Clock High starring Gregory Peck, have themes of reluctant leaders overcoming against huge odds with sheer determination and willpower.

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Filming for Episode VIII, due for theatrical release in December 2017, is already under way. It will directly follow the events of The Force Awakens, which saw Daisy Ridley’s character Rey meeting with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill).

He shared a still from Skellig Michael in Ireland - where The Force Awakens concluded - and also revealed that he and Star Wars spin-off Rogue One director Gareth Edwards had cameo appearances in each other’s films.

Speaking about being given the honour of directing the eighth instalment of the iconic franchise, Johnson admitted that he initially got a little overwhelmed by emotion when he first stepped aboard the Millennium Falcon, he quickly realised he had to be professional about it.

“You come into it with feelings of deep nostalgia, but then you realise your responsibility, ultimately, is to get beyond that very quickly and ultimately tell a story that feels alive right now.”

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