Star Wars: 10 Game-Changing Theories For Episode VIII
4. Non-Linear Storytelling Could Play A Part
The Force Awakens was a fairly safe Star Wars film, finding room for many familiar elements among the new stuff to make for a film that couldnt really fail. With that out of the way, Episode VIII could potentially take some more risks and change up the formula now that Disney knows the franchise is a hugely bankable commodity (in the same way that, once Marvel Studios were convinced that the MCU was unsinkable, they green-lit their biggest oddball, Guardians Of The Galaxy)
Maybe Rian Johnson will revisit non-linear storytelling and experiment with the narrative structure of Episode VIII, as one online theory has suggested. Given the positive fan response to Reys vision/flashback that briefly took us out of The Force Awakens otherwise-linear narrative, maybe Johnson will be allowed to play around with the timeline more than Abrams did.
The Reddit theory suggested that Episode VIII could take a leaf out of The Godfather Part IIs book by setting its events both before and after The Force Awakens. Using this format, we could get more information about the Knights of Ren, Snokes history and Reys backstory as well as seeing what happens next.
While Im not convinced theyd break from the traditional Star Wars structure to that extreme level, I wouldnt be surprised to see more visions, flashbacks and maybe even an Anakin-style premonition or two in Episode VIII, especially as Rey grows stronger in the Force.