Star Wars 8: Did Lucasfilm accidentally reveal the title of Episode VIII?

The studio filed a 2,000-word trademark list covering clothing, toys, staplers, Christmas tree ornaments, and motion picture films

Rogue One is on the cusp of hitting cinemas, yet Star Wars fans may already be looking ahead to 2017.

That's when the franchise's main storyline continues with Episode VIII, and we'll finally learn the fates of Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren; uncovering the identity of Rey's parents in the process so the endless speculation can finally end.

Indeed, the power Rey displayed at the end of The Force Awakens does point to something pretty major in the works for Daisy Ridley's resilient scavenger, lending some credence to the currently circulating rumour that Lucasfilm has let slip the title for the upcoming instalment.

AVSForum did some snooping and uncovered that Lucasfilm has filed a trademark to the European Union Intellectual Property Office for 'Star Wars: Forces of Destiny'; a 2,000-word list of related items including clothing, toys, staplers, Christmas tree ornaments, as well as motion picture films.

Forces of Destiny would of course link to the idea of Rey having some great, history-altering role to play in the future of the Jedi and the galaxy at large, so it's not entirely an awkward fit as the name of the next Star Wars film.

That said, Lucasfilm filing a copyright for the name wouldn't necessarily confirm it's attached to Episode VIII, even if the number of good and services covered is so lengthy.

This could easily be connected to any number of the vast branches of Lucasfilm's creative department - from animated series to video games - and the lawyers could simply be covering their backs here to prevent competitors attempting to utilise the name elsewhere. Let's just hope we get some answers soon.

Star Wars: Episode VIII hits UK cinemas 15 December 2017.