This weekend marked the beginning of the peak area for everybody wanting to make a trip to Dubrovnik and see the sets for the upcoming filming of Star Wars Episode VIII before the filming starts on Wednesday March 9th. We’ve been receiving plenty of e-mails and questions from Star Wars fans from across the globe during the past few months and many of them were planning to come to see the sets up close. Some of the fans from Croatian city of Split decided to take a trip to Dubrovnik this Saturday and managed to get some pretty cool materials while here. Below are a few fan photos of the filming locations by Mr. Goran Les and a video clip by YouTube channel EdoStuff – CroHD Plane Spotting documenting the trip.

Great Stuff from the Split fans. Keep it up, the show is just starting…

Storm in Dubrovnik, photo Flare Studio

You know it doesn’t look good for the production when we are talking about the weather 3 days before the filming. Dubrovnik is experiencing heavy rain and strong southern winds since Saturday night and those are expected to continue until Monday morning. National Weather Service even issued an “orange” warning for Dubrovnik area. This is bad news for many Star Wars fans who decided to use the weekend to come to Dubrovnik and see the sets before the close for public on Wednesday 9th of March. It’s also a concern for the production of Star Wars Episode VIII as Dubrovnik weather in March can get very rough very quickly. However, the forecast for much to the upcoming week is not that bad and the rain is predicted to subside completely.

In the meantime, there is no rest for the crews getting the sets ready. As Dubrovnik Times reported, people working on the sets on the main street were seen using large mobile dryers, drying the street between showers. t.

It remained unclear what was the final point of it, but it is obvious that rain and Star Wars sets don’t mix well. We hope the forecasts for the filming week will prove correct.

Members of Star Wars Hrvatska, Croatian fan community who already brought us cosplay photos from Dubrovnik are back in town! They are said to have arrived in numbers and are joining the locals in anticipation of the climax of Star Wars madness that’s been sweeping across this city in the past few months. They’ve reported their arrival with a photo of three fans in full Star Wars cosplay outfit on location in the Old City centre. Something tells us there are more photos to follow.

Croatian Star Wars Fans, photo Star Wars Hrvatska

On their website, the fans put up a photo of one of the city landmarks that’s been transformed for the role in Episode VIII, Great Onofrio’s Fountain has been fitted with lighting fixtures. As it is located at the beginning of Main Street, it will undoubtedly add to the excellent visual effect that part of the set will have in the end product.

Onofrios Fountain in Dubrovnik gets a makeover, photo Star Wars Hrvatska

Sad news has spread over Star Wars fan community. Professor Tony Dyson, the builder of the original R2-D2 was found dead on the Maltese island of Gozo, as reported by the BBC. He is thought to have died of natural causes.

He was commissioned to build eight R2-D2 units for the filming of the original Star Wars series. His creation remains until today, one of the most popular and iconic Star Wars characters. R2-D2 was a character with its own personality. He was devoted, brave, and at times a bit stubborn. If we take a look at the fact we are talking about a robot with plenty physical similarities to an ordinary bucket, the fact he became such a well developed character and a loving icon of the movie serves as a great credit both to the director, but also to its maker, Mr. Tony Dyson. Rest in Peace.

Tony Dyson, photo BBC

In an unrelated news, according to Mr. Lizo Mzimba of the BBC, Daisy Ridley will not be appearing in Dubrovnik part of Star Wars Episode VIII filming, much to the dismay of local masses, myself including.

A truly gloomy and miserable day in Dubrovnik today with rain falling on and off since early morning. Still, we spared no effort and went around our home town to give you a run through of all the publicly accessible locations and bring you brand new photographs. Lost of them!

Main Street is the most interesting location for anyone and it seems it will feature most of the action to be filmed in Dubrovnik.

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Some action is definitely being lined up at the set.

Star Wars Set Dubrovnik, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

One of the smaller streets in Dubrovnik got a Star Wars makeover without any of the media noticing. It takes a local with a true knowledge of his town to recognise the light fixtures on the walls have changed. What seems like electrical installations have also been added. Throughout the street.

All the light fixtures on the walls are movie props, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Dubrovnik Star Wars Set, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

All the fixtures on the walls are movie props, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

All the light fixtures on the walls are movie props, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

What appear to be production stickers are all through the street, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Production tents with parts of the set, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Adjacent to the main street is Sv. Dominika Street with a staircase leading to the Dominican Monastery complex. Here some light fixtures have also been mounted and a rail guideline for a camera or some prop has been fitted.

Steps leading to Dominican Monastery with new light fixtures, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Steps leading to Dominican Monastery with new light fixtures, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

Rail fixture probably for camera(s) or props, photo starwarsdubrovnik.com

The guys from special effects department are on the ground!

Special effects team?

Rector’s Palace is one of the most attractive landmarks in Dubrovnik. It is one of the already announced filming locations for Star Wars Episode VIII, but so far there were no signs of any activity in or around it except for regularly schedules renovation work. However, it seems renovation was halted and the interior re-done, probably to allow for filming of interiors.

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik might be used for shots of interiors

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik might be used for shots of interiors

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik might be used for shots of interiors

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik might be used for shots of interiors

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik might be used for shots of interiors

Are we to see interior shots of the inside of one of the most recognizable monuments in Dubrovnik?

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik’s Old City Centre, photo Flare Studio

Last night’s rehearsal on the main street of Dubrovnik was closed for public, but apparently someone had good enough vantage point to get some excellent shots. DuList published a series of photographs this morning depicting some sort of a flying craft, possibly a landspeeder, set on rails in front of Dubrovnik’s Franciscan Monastery. The craft is mostly covered over, but it’s presence alone is very intriguing. Enjoy the photos.

Set being prepared with some sort of vehicle in the foreground, photos DuList

Vehicle is mounted on curved rails, photo DuList

Close up reveals details and colour, photo DuList

Crew worked hard, long into the night, Photo DuList

Crew worked hard, long into the night, Photo DuList

The set is truly coming alive and the atmosphere in Dubrovnik is getting very heated. We can’t wait for what comes next.

Tonight, the main street of Dubrovnik is closed for public from 8:00pm to midnight. This is a planned operation by the production of Star Wars Episode VIII and the official explanation is a rehearsal of some technical parts of the filming. Word around town is none of the actors are still here, although the reports vary. Still, this evening everything seems pretty calm and we are to expect the same on the 4^th when another one of these rehearsals is being planned. Below are some photos published by a local news portal Dubrovacki Dnevnik of the situation around the set.

Set detail, photo Hrvoje Batinic

Set is being guarded, photo Hrvoje Batinic

Closed set = media attention, photo MP

Mayor of Dubrovnik was also present, photo MP

The same source reported earlier the filming itself might be prolonged until March 20^th (it was supposed to be done by March 17^th) and that apparently Dubrovnik is to play a very important role in Episode VIII.

We’ve already covered some of the rumours going around with regards to Dubrovnik part of Star Wars Episode VIII filming. Plenty is being said, no official confirmations are out explaining what part of the story is being filmed here or what characters will be seen on set.

Rey and Luke Skywalker share a scene in The Force Awakens, photo Lucasfilm

However, moscroatia.com reported earlier today that their sources have unofficially confirmed the actors to be appearing in Dubrovnik are none other than Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley!! If this is true, Dubrovnik is definitely stepping up as one of the key locations in the upcoming Episode VIII and will cement its position as a place of pilgrimage for fans of Star Wars franchise from all corners of the globe.

Luke Skywalker, photo Lucasfilm

Of course, we understand this information is still unconfirmed, but that will hardly stop us from being excited at the very possibility of seeing Luke Skywalker and Rey on the streets of our fair city. Can you blame us?

It seems local Star Wars community in Dubrovnik is getting louder by the minute. As Dubrovnik Digest reports, there is a photo in circulation showing one of the traffic lights in Dubrovnik being defaced with an image of Darth Vader’s iconic helmet.

Darth Vader on Dubrovnik’s traffic light

It is unsure what the message should be, but it is most likely just an attempt of one of the younger Star Wars fans to score some bragging rights among his Dark Side favouring friends.

In the meantime, everybody in Dubrovnik is counting down the days to March 9^th when the sets will close and the entire city will hold its breath in hope to get a glimpse of anything that might give away the part of the plot being filmed here