The actor who will play R2-D2 in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been named. Scottish actor Jimmy Vee has taken over from Kenny Baker, who died last year.

　　The news was confirmed by talent agency Oh So Small. In a statement, Vee said: "It's been an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside the legendary Kenny Baker. Kenny was a fantastic actor and taught me all the 'tricks' on how he brought R2-D2 to life which I will continue to portray in his honor.

　　"I'm so excited to be a part of the Star Wars universe and can't wait for everyone to see what we've been working so hard on for the last year."

　　Vee portrayed R2-D2 in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but was not credited. While no actor was listed for the iconic role, Baker was credited as 'R2 Consultant.' Vee also appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Pan, and episodes of Doctor Who.

　　In other news about The Last Jedi, last week Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that he has seen an early cut of the film. "It's a great next chapter in the iconic Skywalker family saga," he said.

　　The Last Jedi will pick up right after where The Force Awakens left off. It will reportedly focus heavily on the relationship between Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker and Daisy Ridley's Rey.

　　The movie is directed by Rian Johnson and arrives in theaters on December 15, 2017. It also stars John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. Carrie Fisher filmed her Leia scenes for the movie before she passed away in December.