Cast and Crew for Star Wars Episode VIII Arrives in Malin Head
By Ani Bundel
The cast and crew for Star Wars Episode VIII arrive in northern Ireland’s Malin Head for filming.
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From Croatia to northern Ireland, it seems like Star Wars is taking a page out of Game of Thrones playbook for filming Episode VIII. The movie’s stars and crew have laded in the town where the Falcon set is being constructed today for filming.
The BBC reports that locals are “feeling the force” as legends like Mark Hammill and newcomers like Daisy Ridley are spotted arriving. But what exactly is filming? Locals and landowners have all been sworn to secrecy. But some fans have been exploring… as close as they can get anyway.
One fan, John Joe McGettigan, from Carrigart in County Donegal, showed up in his full Storm Trooper outfit and headed over to greet his fellow travelers from a galaxy far, far away.
Star Wars fan John Joe McGettigan has been exploring the set in full stormtrooper regalia. Photo by NIALL CARSON/PA
"“It’s absolutely fantastic to have Star Wars in Donegal, it’s not a galaxy far, far away at all,” he said. “Everybody has their own way of going mad, this is ours.”"
Locals are taking advantage of the filming tourism spike that the area has seen this week, with one local pub going as far as to rebrand itself with a huge Star Wars mural for the occasion.
From the sounds of rumors, this won’t be the only time the film will use this location. Word is that it’s being planned as a filming spot for several scenes, including, perhaps, Episode IX.
Hugh Farren, the owner of Farren’s Bar in Malin Head hopes so. “If it’s true what they’re saying, it’s looking like they may come back and it’s just fantastic. The thought of stormtroopers shooting at each other around Malin Head is just out of this world.”
Despite the spike in tourism, security is tighter–far tighter than the northern Ireland area is used to, as Disney has a far larger budget for these thinks that television shows like Thrones. According to the BBC, “Donegal County Council is overseeing road closures on the Malin Head loop from 08:00 local time each morning until 21:00 at night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.” There is also a huge no fly zone around the area where the Falcon is being built.