"Star Wars: Episode VIII" has begun its pre-production filming in Ireland but won't properly begin shooting scenes until 2016. That being said, actor Benicio Del Toro, who will play an unidentified villain in the film, has spoken with Empire Magazine, already giving praise about what director Rian Johnson brings to the table.

"He's going to bring a cool, sci-fi realism, if I may say that," the actor stated regarding Johnson's filmmaking aesthetic. "I love his film 'Looper,' and I just like talking to him about the film. He's one of those new talented people that 'Star Wars' is hiring to infuse the franchise with new steroids."

Johnson was confimed to be directing the eighth installment in the sci-fi franchise last year, based on a script written by Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. 

Cinema Blend reports that Johnson's career path appears to be the ideal path to prepare the director for "Star Wars: Episode VIII." The report points out that "Brick," the director's debut film, is a "perfect ensemble team," while his second film "The Brother's Bloom" carries a strong sense of humor that will also be needed for "Star Wars."

Johnson's most recent film, the aforementioned "Looper," performed well at the box office and has garnered a 93 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most widely praised science fiction films in recent years. The film is mostly praised for its character development, compelling story and action sequences.

As previously reported, Del Toro will be portraying a villain in the film although the way he explained his character indicates that his role takes on a neutral or anti-hero story arc instead of purely being on the dark side. It is speculated that he may be portraying a character similar to the mercenary Bobba Fett, who was a villain in the original trilogy.

"Star Wars: Episode VIII" is set to release on May 26, 2017.