Now that we officially know it's Episode VIII, the sleepy town of Portmagee in the Kingdom of Kerry is awash with film crews, reporters, photographers and eager Star Wars fans trying to catch a glimpse of the action.

It's understood that there's not a lot happening today as the weather has prevented any boats making landfall on Skellig Michael. The Ministry of Arts, Heritage and The Gaeltacht confirmed that the production have a total of four to five days on the island, however it's believed that the shooting should only take two days at the most if the weather holds up.

So far, none of the cast have been spotted, however it's rumoured that Mark Hamill is on Kerry to shoot scenes. So far, Hamill is the only confirmed castmember for Episode VIII, although Benicio Del Toro is unofficially confirmed to join the cast. Episode VIII will be directed by Rian Johnson, who's built up an impressive resumé of films, including Looper, Brick and some key episodes of Breaking Bad.

Skellig Michael can be quite treacherous, as reports surfaced today that Mark Hamill almost had a fatal slip on the rugged island during production of The Force Awakens. According to reports, Hamill almost took a spill over the edge of the island but was caught by a guide from the OPW.

The filming on Skellig Michael today is being observed by members of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, who have been given powers to shut down production if it interrupts or adversely affects the cliff-nesting birds on the island.

 

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