Courtesy of The Playlist:
"In Rian Johnson‘s upcoming ‘The Last Jedi’ everyone’s beloved droid BB-8 is going to have a Dark Side counterpart: BB-9E. Walt Disneyconfirms its indeed a new character from the film, part of the astromech unit of the First Order that keep their starships and machinery operational. The cynical side of me thinks this is something Lucasfilm cooked up to sell more toys, essentially giving everyone a chance to buy a different flavor of BB-8. However, I hope Johnson has found an organic way to introduce the character, and that any potential BB-8 vs. BB-9E showdown isn’t as cheesy as that sounds."
Official Press Release:
“Since ‘Star Wars’ became a cultural phenomenon 40 years ago, consumer products have been a critical part of the fan experience, helping to introduce new audiences to the franchise’s rich stories and characters. Technology-powered storytelling is at the core of the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ product line, and will immerse fans in the Star Wars universe like never before,” - Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
"In Rian Johnson‘s upcoming ‘The Last Jedi’ everyone’s beloved droid BB-8 is going to have a Dark Side counterpart: BB-9E. Walt Disneyconfirms its indeed a new character from the film, part of the astromech unit of the First Order that keep their starships and machinery operational. The cynical side of me thinks this is something Lucasfilm cooked up to sell more toys, essentially giving everyone a chance to buy a different flavor of BB-8. However, I hope Johnson has found an organic way to introduce the character, and that any potential BB-8 vs. BB-9E showdown isn’t as cheesy as that sounds."
Official Press Release:
“Since ‘Star Wars’ became a cultural phenomenon 40 years ago, consumer products have been a critical part of the fan experience, helping to introduce new audiences to the franchise’s rich stories and characters. Technology-powered storytelling is at the core of the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ product line, and will immerse fans in the Star Wars universe like never before,” - Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media