How Star Wars: The Last Jedi will deal with Han Solo's death

'The First Order is right on top of us. It is like war - you just gotta keep moving to try and survive'

A lot of fans assumed Star Wars: The Last Jedi would open on a protracted funeral scene for the franchise's dear, departed Han Solo. He is Han Solo, after all.

However, the film's cast has hinted that we won't, in fact, be lingering on the grieving period here; there's a battle to be fought, after all, and if our heroes don't act soon there'll be a lot more mourning to do.

"We're just keeping it moving, to be honest with you, man. It's true. The pressure's on, man. There's no time," John Boyega said at the film's US press conference. "I think that's one thing unique to me about watching this movie was the commentary on war."

"There hasn't been a Star Wars movie yet that has explored war in the way The Last Jedi does. It's very messy; the categorizing of 'good' and 'evil' is all mixed together. In terms of Han, I'm sure we all feel sentimental - if someone were to sit Finn down, sit Rey down. But Rey's off training, she's got stuff to do. I've got a back injury, I've got stuff to do. I can't think about Han at the moment."

"This is reverberating, but he's right," co-star Oscar Isaac added. "It's a dire situation, it's critical to the Resistance, which is on its last legs. We're trying to survive. The First Order is right on top of us. It is like war - you just gotta keep moving to try and survive."

"So I think you feel the momentum of everything that happens in The Force Awakens just pushing and getting to a critical mass in this film."

However, that's not to say The Last Jedi is pretending Solo's death didn't have a deep impact on those who knew him - more that those emotions have been stuffed down deep inside.

As Daisy Ridley added, " I would say that where it leads very much affects me. Rey is a character who has been alone for a very long time. And she's really open to love and friendship, so Finn and BB-8 come along and it's like this amazing adventure."

"And then Han, without trying to, she seeks something from him because there's an intimacy, and there's a sort of figure or something she never dreamed of for her. Everything is new to her, so she's understanding things in a different way - and lucky for me, because I was trying to get to grips with everything going on, and Rey is trying to get to grips with everything going on."

"So for Rey there is some time. Everything is moving forward, but she has some time to ask questions and wonder what it means it is that led someone to do something like that. And also how that directly affects the world around her. And she's worried about being at home. So I'd say she's a bit more affected."

Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits UK cinemas 14 December.

Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more.