This week, the eighth episodic adventure in the 'Star Wars' universe will come to fans in the form of 'The Last Jedi', with Rian Johnson serving as director and returning stars including Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and the late Carrie Fisher.

It's official: George Lucas is a fan of 'The Last Jedi'It's official: George Lucas is a fan of 'The Last Jedi'

Strong, positive reactions from critics have already helped build the hype around the movie, which is expected to take in over $400 million in the worldwide box office upon its immediate release, which will likely creep up to $1 billion over time.

One of the biggest boosts in confidence for Rian and the incredible cast however will have come this week, when the franchise's creator George Lucas praised the flick.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lucas' representative Connie Wethington confirmed that Lucas thought the movie was "beautifully made", adding that he had been in discussion directly with Johnson following his viewing of the film and was "complimentary".

Excitement for 'The Last Jedi' is now at an all-time high, and these words from someone so beloved will no doubt add to that. 

Whilst not much is known about the overarching plot of the film, surprising and stunning moments have been promised from those lucky enough to have already seen it.

We do know that Ridley's character Rey will be meeting Luke Skywalker (Hamill) for the first time, encouraging the former member of the Jedi to come out of self-imposed exile. Meanwhile, Finn (Boyega) will be waking up from his coma in which he's been since the life-changing battle at the end of 'The Force Awakens'. Exactly where his journey takes him from here however remains to be seen.

With a title like 'The Last Jedi', there's every opportunity that this movie could make some massively shocking moves in the world of 'Star Wars', and ones that will have to be dealt with when this new trilogy comes to an end with 'Episode IX'. To get to that point however, we have to go through the motions of this week's big release, and we cannot wait to see what's in store for us all.

More: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Is The Franchise's Longest Film To-Date

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is set for release in UK cinemas on December 15, 2017, with 'Episode IX' scheduled to drop two years later in December 2019.