Long before J.J. Abrams actually stepped behind the lens for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the director made it his mission to recapture the authenticity of the franchise’s original trilogy. Part of that process naturally boiled down to creating practical effects and smart costume design that would imbue the scene with a tangible realism, but the actual locations that hosted The Force Awakens also played a crucial part.
From the sun-kissed sands of Abu Dhabi to the Lake District in the UK, Disney and Lucasfilm’s production was a globe-trotting affair, and it all culminated with a scene situated on Skellig Michael Island, located off the coast of County Kerry in South West Ireland.
[zerg]If that sounds unfamiliar to you, then you’ll recognize the primordial isle from today’s new featurette, which sheds light on the production process that led to the creative team behind The Force Awakens setting foot on Skellig Michael. Hosting one Luke Skywalker, it’s understood that the planet is actually named Anch-To, which just so happens to be the first Jedi temple. Seems Luke was successful in his quest all along.
Towards the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, after the First Order – and indeed Kylo Ren – is brought to its knees – Rey takes the Millennium Falcon, along with a ragtag crew that includes R2-D2, Chewbacca and BB-8 to pinpoint the location of Mark Hamill’s wayward Jedi Master. And sure enough, the film closes out with the reveal of Luke, who appears to have been honing his powers aboard the mystical isle.
So if you can see the WGA script, yes, the name of the planet from the end of the movie is there.
— Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) January 1, 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is out now in theaters, and continues to smash through one box office record after another.
