Star Wars' Daisy Ridley teases her lightsaber training for Episode 8

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There was a lot to like in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, not least of which was Daisy Ridley's terrific performance as Rey. One aspect which definitely left room for improvement though were the lightsaber fights - a view shared by former jedi Samuel L. Jackson - but if Ridley's latest video is any indication we could be in for some more skillful duels next year.

The actress took to her Facebook page to post a few seconds of footage teasing her lightsaber training for Episode 8, and it's safe to say her swordsmanship skills are coming along nicely. Check it out below...

Credit for the new and improved Rey we'll hopefully be seeing in Episode 8 should go to Liang Yang; in addition to being, as Ridley notes, a "WUSHU FRICKING MASTER", Yang is also the man behind Stormtrooper FN-2199 - a.k.a. the guy who shouted "TRAITOR!" at Finn - in The Force Awakens. I guess if you can't beat them, train them...

While the duels in The Force Awakens were a little simplistic, they were still hard hitting and the fact that both Kylo Ren and Rey are far from the finished article lends the battle a little leeway. Much in the same way that Rey looks to be improving her skills - thanks in no small part to a certain Skywalker - there's a good chance that Ren is also completing his training, and that should make the next time these two characters meet all the more exciting.

Directed by Rian Johnson and starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, and Benicio del Toro, Star Wars: Episode 8 opens in cinemas on December 15, 2017.

Images: Disney/Lucasfilm

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Amon Warmann
Amon Warmann

Amon is a contributing editor and columnist for Empire magazine, but is also a Film and TV writer for GamesRadar+, Total Film, and others. He has also written for NME, Composer Mag, and more, along with being a film critic for TalkSport. He is also the co-host of the Fade to Black Podcast, and a video mashup creator. Can also do a pretty good Bane impersonation.

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