Good morning, happy Monday. Have you settled in at work, shaken the snow off your boots, maybe had a cup of coffee? Good, now hold onto your goddamn hat, because Star Wars is happening again.

Now that it’s been nearly two months since Star Wars: The Force Awakens entered theaters and obliterated all those box-office records, permanently leaving an impression on blockbuster history, it’s time for it to be supplanted and inevitably outdone by the upcoming eighth installment of this unstoppable franchise. In a post on the official Star Wars site, Lucasfilm’s camp announced that production has officially begun on the still-untitled film, and what’s more, they unveiled a short teaser and a few exciting additions to the cast. Two months of relative piece and quiet now behind us (really more like one month, what with a solid month of post-release reporting on The Force Awakens’ staggering numbers), we may now safely begin talking about Star Wars once more.

The post announced the arrival of three new cast members, each just as much of a curveball as the last. Relative unknown Kelly Marie Tran, recognizable from a handful of CollegeHumor’s comedy videos, has just landed the job of a lifetime with a role in Rian Johnson’s planned film, but the other two additions boast decidedly higher profiles. Having most recently wowed audiences with a chilling, intense performance in the south-of-the-border crime saga Sicario, Benicio del Toro has joined the cast in an unspecified role. Most tantalizing of all, Academy Award nominee and outstanding human being Laura Dern will come aboard for the film due nearly two years from now on December 15, 2017. A fan-favorite performer with memorable turns in the various works of David Lynch, the brilliant but sadly departed comedy Enlightened, and an immortal role in Jurassic Park, Dern’s a welcome addition to the ensemble. The post also confirmed that all major cast members from Force Awakens would return for this new film, y’know, except Harrison Ford.

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