The final trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ hit the interweb yesterday leading one to ask: will it be a hit or will its director be branded Jar Jar Abrams?
It’s not a question whether Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be a success, the only uncertainty is whether it tops Avatar and become the highest-grossing film of all time.
The final trailer for the 7th instalment in the franchise, seemingly closer in spirit to Episodes IV-VI than the prequel trilogy, premiered to the raucous delight of a dedicated fan-base. Featuring original cast members Mark Hammill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in addition to stalwarts R2-D2 and C-3PO, the new trailer is remarkable for teasing out a younger set of little-known characters with apparent similarities to their predecessors.
British actress Daisy Ridley is the centre-piece of the new effort, the 23-year-old starring as Rey, a self-described “no one” who like Luke Skywalker before her scavenges through the desert, staring out longingly into the distance for something better. Stranded storm trooper Finn (John Boyega) looks like he will join her, only to fight villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), adorned in Darth Vader’s black and equipped with the signature red lightsaber, appearing hell-bent on following in Vader’s footsteps.
It’s notable that the two leads, as with Luke and Leia in the original trilogy, have been cast with relative unknowns (Ridley and Boyega). Also sharing the spotlight is Poe Dameron (the slightly more prolific Oscar Isaac) as a somewhat more amiable pilot, following in the footsteps of his spiritual predecessor and rogue Han Solo (Ford) who also makes several appearances in the trailer, along with a brief appearance by Fisher. At the time of his original casting, Ford was significantly more recognisable than his co-stars, having been cast in George Lucas’ American Graffiti.
Domhnall Gleeson, Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Game of Thrones’ Gwendoline Christie also star, some in yet unclear roles, the producers making the wise decision to keep the production under wraps and build suspense, knowing the film would be a hit however little was revealed.
There’s two ways it could go – either Episode VII is a hit among followers and hailed by the faithful as the first legitimate feature length addition to the franchise, or its director will forever be known as Jar Jar Abrams. Regardless, it has the fans excited, and with tickets going on sale two months in advance, anticipation for The Force Awakens is only going to build.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is in cinemas from December 17.
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