‘Star Wars: Episode 8’ Director Rian Johnson Teases Maz Kanata’s Return in New Photo

Hey guys, remember Star Wars? The Force Awakens hits DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow, with enough special features to keep you occupied until Rogue One arrives later this year — but lest you forget, Episode VIII is currently filming for a 2017 release, and director Rian Johnson has shared a new photo from the set teasing the return of a certain spectacled and wise alien played by one Lupita Nyong’o.

Johnson posted the photo to Tumblr, which appears to have been taken on a mo-cap stage, and though Nyong’o herself isn’t pictured, you can see a CG rendering of Maz on the screens:

When we last saw Maz, her fortress was besieged by First Order Stormtroopers on the orders of Kylo Ren. As proven by the above photo, Maz survived — but we already knew that. Not only does Nyong’o’s name appear in the official cast list for Episode VIII, but deleted scenes from The Force Awakens show Maz surviving the attack.

Nyong’o is joined by fellow returning cast members Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Andy Serkis, along with Star Wars newcomers Benicio Del Toro (who may or may not be playing a new villain), Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran.

Episode VIII hits theaters on December 15, 2017.