Star Wars Episode IX has already called in BB-8

Is it any surprise that BB-8 is already involved in filming Star Wars: Episode IX? No, but the little droid could be heading for a bigger part.

Star Wars movies have come a long way from only having C-3P0 and R2-D2 as the droid characters. By the prequel trilogy, we’d been introduced to droid soldiers; the anthology films have given us K-2SO and L3-37. And then, of course, in the sequels, we have BB-8 (and BB-9E).

Though BB-8 isn’t as vitally plot-important in The Last Jedi as he is in The Force Awakens, that doesn’t stop him from having a few great moments nevertheless. With news from his puppeteer, Brian Herring, that today is the first day of filming to include BB-8, it’s time to speculate on what kind of role the droid will play in the final movie of this trilogy.

Obviously, if Poe Dameron is involved in any dogfights in his X-Wing, BB-8 will be in the back and helping out with his astromech skills, but we also know that early filming has included Chewbacca and Finn thanks to J.J. Abrams’ photo from the set. In fact, BB-8 ends up spending a lot of time with Finn in The Last Jedi, so it’s possible that could extend to Episode IX.

What might be more interesting is whether or not Episode IX will see more of BB-9E, too. The First Order droid debuted in The Last Jedi, and odds seem good that there could be another showdown. With a jump in time expected, could Kylo Ren develop and pilot a ship that uses an astromech and then face off against Poe in space? It’s certainly not the norm for the villains of Star Wars to use droids, but the TIE Silencer is already a departure in terms of ships.

Either way, here’s to more BB-8 in Episode IX when it debuts in 2019!