If all we’ve had over the past few days were well established rumours and unofficial stories, no one can deny “this thing is happening” anymore. After we’ve brought you the news of the (practically) confirmed Star Wars filming dates and locations in Dubrovnik, there has been a media storm to have the final official confirmation. Last night the Mayor of Dubrovnik, Andro Vlahusic gave a statement to RTL Croatia News from the United States where he had a meeting with Lucas Film representatives. He confirmed the filming is not only taking place, but is definitely being done in and around some of the most iconic Dubrovnik landmarks which made the city vastly popular among travellers from all over the world and earned the acceptance into UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.

Mayor of Dubrovnik – Andro Vlahusic, photo Facebook

We were very excited to share the news during an appearance on the podcast by Star Wars Report Blog, run by some thoroughly cool people dedicated to providing Star Wars fans with all manner of up to date information about their favourite obsession. The podcast is due to air on Monday 15^th of February, check out their website for the details.

After yesterday’s news about the likely filming dates and locations for Star Wars Episode VIII in Dubrovnik, the official cost of the actual filming is out. As Dubrovnik Digest  reports, Mr. Hrvoje Hribar, the head of Croatian government – backed agency for audio visual arts, was quoted as saying the filming for Star Wars Episode VIII in Dubrovnik will cost approximately 38 million Croatian Kunas (around $5,4 million) per day.

This hefty amount is enough to finance quite a spectacular shoot. Combine this with already stunning locations in the city’s medieval historical centre that are rumoured to be confirmed for filming, as well as superb aesthetics that have become a trademark for the franchise over the years and you have the makings of a potentially very interesting addition to the Star Wars universe.

Dubrovnik’s Old City Centre, photo Gabriela Gruica

The question on the minds of Croatian Star Wars fans now is what will the money be used for and how will this translate to the end product? The possibilities are endless.

We just received news of filming locations and dates for a foreign film production company Space Bear Industries making a high budget sci fi action movie in Dubrovnik’s historical city centre. Star Wars fans might recognize that name from a number of texts by renowned Star Wars websites as the company most likely founded to be involved in Episode VII filming. We would say this qualifies almost as an official confirmation!

Exact dates were announced as March 9th – 16th 2016, with the first two days being used to set up the stages and March 11th to March 16th being marked as filming dates, with the work on sets being carried out throughout the day and actual filming to be done in the afternoon and through the night.

Below are the photos of some of the actual filming locations:

City Walls Dubrovnik, photo Flare Studio

Dubrovnik City Walls, photo Insider Holidays

Dubrovnik City Walls, photo Insider Holidays

Banje Beach, Dubrovnik, photo Flare Studio

Dubrovnik’s Main Street – Stradun, photo Insider Holidays

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik, photo Flare Studio

Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik, photo Flare Studio

Old City Port, photo Insider Holidays

“Trg Oruzja” Square, photo Insider Holidays

Things are getting exciting in Dubrovnik’s Star Wars saga and with the filming dates being closer than many have predicted, it’s now a race to get the details. What are we expecting to see in this Croatian part of the filming…  or better yet, who are we expecting to see?

Biding our time until the beginning of Star Wars filming in Dubrovnik, we can’t but not go over some of the most memorable parts of the films so far. Having a weakness for scary movies as well as sci fi, and with recent announcements of Episode VII being darker than the previous film, we decided to explore the dark side (no pun intended) of Star Wars franchise. After a bit of searching we’ve found the clip by StarWars.com with their staff’s selection of scariest Star Wars moments and thought they pretty much nailed it. These include animated series as well and contain spoilers(!) from several Star Wars films (no episode VII though). Enjoy!

What are your scariest Star Wars moments?

As reported by Dubrovnik Times the Mayor of Dubrovnik is due to meet the producers of Star Wars Episode VIII while on his current trip to the United States.

Locals are hard at work guessing exactly what the Episode VIII filming locations in Dubrovnik will be, and while it is highly unlikely mayor Andro Vlahusic will share any information from the upcoming meeting, we can most definitely expect another wave of rumours about the scope of the filming, Star Wars characters that will be involved, and of course, who’s backyard will serve as a backdrop for one of the epic scenes.

Dubrovnik, Croatia, photo Insider Holidays

One information that might be available to the public are the exact dates of the filming as high end productions usually mean plenty of machinery and man power. For a small place like Dubrovnik where parking can be a hassle on the slower days of the year, let alone during the busy summer season and shoulder months, operations like this mean plenty of preparation by everyone involved.

Locals will probably tell you it’s more a question of „when“. Dubrovnik has been the most recognized tourism destination in Croatia for decades. Two centuries to be more precise. This picturesque medieval city is attracting people from all corners of the Earth each year, mostly during summer season, but more and more during spring and autumn as well.

Minceta Fortress, Dubrovnik, photo Flare Studio

There is plenty to see and do in Dubrovnik and its rich history, visible on every corner, has made it one of the most loved tourism destinations of East Mediterranean region. We already mentioned the city has seen its share of international productions filming movies or TV shows on its streets, but it was after HBO’s Game of Thrones started showing footage of Dubrovnik (playing the role of King’s Landing) that foreign guests started taking interest in filming locations. This lead to the creation of Game of Thrones Tours – walking tours taking guests around the filming locations – that quickly became some of the most popular and bestselling tours in Dubrovnik. Today, you can trust us when we say everyone in the city is excited about the announcement of Star Wars Episode VIII being filmed here. There are plenty of local fans of Star Wars franchise, but there are also those who are hoping Star Wars Tours in Dubrovnik might be the next big thing in the city’s offer of excursions.

What do you think? Will Star Wars Tours be more popular than Game of Thrones Tours?

While we here in Dubrovnik are very excited to tell the world we are one of the filming locations for Star Wars Episode VIII, what interests us the most (aside from the exact locations to be used) is what characters will be on set in our home town. So far we have no exact information and according to experience this will be kept a secret as long as possible. Still, we at least need to know what known characters aside from the main protagonists are making a comeback in the Episode VIII.

Nien Nunb, CinemaBlend

Two characters recently rumoured to be returning to the big screen are both fan favourites when it comes to side characters. As reported by MovieWeb  and CinemaBlend we can expect both Admiral Ackbar and Nien Nunb to return in Episode VIII. Actor Tim Rose who plays the part of Admiral Ackbar and Mike Quinn who is the puppeteer in charge of operating the character of Nien Nunb have both pulled out of PensaCon – being held on 19th to 21st of February – to work on a film most are now speculating to be Star Wars Episode VIII. The fact that Tim Rose cancelled the appearance at PensaCon together with Peter Mayhew – who is still involved in his role as Chewbacca – puts things into perspective even more.

Admiral Ackbar, CinemaBlend

Are you a Star Wars fan who prefers the light hearted comedic parts in the films or are you more inclined towards the serious or scary parts as seen in Episode III or Episode V?

It’s a trick question, you’re supposed to like them both the same. However, those with a darker taste in movies might be getting the Star Wars film they were hoping for out of the new Episode VIII which starts filming in March. John Boyega, who played Finn in Star Wars Episode VII – The Force Awakens, but also the character of Moses in a hilarious British comedy Attack of the Block, told Vogue in a recent interview the script for the new sequel to the saga is “much darker” than that of Episode VII. If you look back at the franchise, you will realise the beloved „all ages“ space opera has had its share of scary or downright disturbing images shown in the films, so we tend to believe this announcement has some merit. John Boyega was also quoted as saying this role is very special to him being a Star Wars fan himself.

John Boyega, photo by Getty Images

Regardless of the tone of the movie, we sure hope to see this up and coming British film star on the set in Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik, Croatia might be a UNESCO protected world heritage site as well as an internationally below holiday destination, but it is also a city of a mere 50000 inhabitants, so you can be sure news travels fast here. Rumours even faster.

One of the most popular local internet news portals dubrovackidnevnik.rtl.hr  today announced photos of a house rumoured to be one of the filming locations chosen by the production of Star Wars Episode VIII.

House in Dubrovnik’s Old City, photo by Tea Stjepović / dubrovackidnevnik.rtl.hr

House sits on Dubrovnik’s main street in the historical centre called Stradun. If this location is confirmed we can be sure centuries’ old Dubrovnik streets that already attracts countless travellers from all over the world will gain a whole new breed of tourists – Star Wars Fans.

Star Wars franchise is known for bringing joy to generations of casual and diehard fans alike, but it is common knowledge nowadays diehard fans tend to have some pretty firm attitudes about this sci fi saga.

If you need further proof, thelocal.dk  recently published a story about two Danish Star Wars fans aged 17 and 18 who let a drunken 5:00 am discussion about the strength of the Republic escalate into a real brawl. In fact, they made such a commotion neighbours were forced to call the police who apprehended one of the „street fighters“. To make the entire thing more hilarious, young man refused to give the police his real name, insisting he was called Count Dooku – a Sith Lord character from the Episode II and III, played by the legendary Christopher Lee. Nice choice for a name.

The lesson to take away from this: don’t argue with Danish Star Wars fans. You will not win.

Star Wars Fans, photo by http://i.telegraph.co.uk/