'Star Wars: Episode VIII' is an upcoming action-adventure and fantasy film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Gwendoline Christie recently reconfirmed that Captain Phasma will return for the sequel.
According to IGN, Christie confirmed that her villainous Captain Phasma is set to make a comeback in Rian Johnson's upcoming film. The 37-year old actress and model made the announcement during an interview with People on the red carpet at the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Captain Phasma is the female captain of the First Order and takes leadership over its stormtrooper soldiers. She was last seen in 'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens' left in the hands of Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Fin and eventually dumped into a trash compactor prior to the destruction of the Starkiller base.
Another article by LA Times stated that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy hinted at Captain Phasma's extended role in the upcoming film. She said, "She's an important character, a baddie in the best sense of the word."
Captain Phasma is the first female villain in the history of the franchise and some fans and critics commented that she was underused in the seventh film. Christie revealed that Captain Phasma's appeal didn't lie in her being as an antagonist but in her potential as a female hero.
She said, "Kathleen Kennedy said to me, 'Have you ever Googled 'female heroines'? I said, 'No,' and she did it for me. If you do it, there are a lot of scantily clad women. Now women should be allowed to dress exactly however they choose, but the idea that you Google female heroines and there isn't a diverse range of examples that come up, I find it a bit depressing."
Christie added that she was deeply enthusiastic about the role because as Captain Phasma, the audience will respond to her actions and not her looks. She said, "It's not about her being conventionally feminized. The idea of this enormous legacy and franchise embracing an idea like that, which of course to many of us feels logical, is actually really progressive. And long overdue."
According to the Independent, the 'Game of Thrones' actress reveled in the idea of diversifying casting choices for women in Hollywood saying that she hoped the mainstream success of the films will bring about more opportunities for fellow actresses in the future.
'Star Wars: Episode VIII' is an upcoming action-adventure and fantasy film written and directed by Rian Johnson. It is the sequel to J.J. Abrams' successful 'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens'. It is scheduled to be released on December 15, 2017.
