BB-8 Is The 'Buster Keaton' Of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It sounds like BB-8 will steal the show (again) in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

During a panel at the annual Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, director Rian Johnson said he received an important tip while he was writing the upcoming sequel to The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams.

"The best advice I had was from [J.J. Abrams'] editors, who said you can't have enough BB-8," Johnson said. "He's the Buster Keaton of this movie. I'm excited for you guys to see what he does in this movie. It's pretty funny."

If you've only ever heard about black-and-white films, Keaton was a huge star of the silent film era, known for his unique brand of physical comedy. Considering that BB-8 speaks only through various beeps and blips, it seems like an apt comparison. But it's still high praise for a droid. Of course, we got a glimpse of BB-8's sense of humor in The Force Awakens. Remember when he used a lighter to make a thumbs up?

BB-8 also made an appearance during the Star Wars Celebration panel, rolling onstage for a few questions from host Josh Gad. Check it out in the video below.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives in theaters Dec. 15. While we wait, take a look at some obscure Star Wars backstories you don't know.