This piece was originally published at CNET on April 16, 2015.
The second teaser trailer for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has arrived. Plus, we’ve got more information about the mysterious new characters, including the newest member of the droid family.
We open on the same sand outlook shown in the first teaser, and hear and see a landspeeder headed for a crashed Star Destroyer.
“The force is strong in my family,” says a voice (old Luke Skywalker?) as we see the melted, congealed, ruined helmet of Darth Vader. “My father has it.”
“I have it.” A robotic hand touches R2-D2.
“My sister has it.” A lightsaber changes hands. “You have that power too.”
We see Poe Dameron smiling as he flies an X-wing starfighter; the already infamous tri-saber; Rey and Finn running from explosions, BB-8 in tow. Also, a new look at Kylo Ren, lightsaber in hand!
And, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the return of Han Solo. “Chewie,” he says, “we’re home.”
Today in Anaheim, California, producers J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy opened the 2015 Star Wars Celebration by premiering a brand new trailer for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
After a brief interview, actors Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega came onstage and talked briefly about their characters. Abrams mentioned that since this movie takes place decades after the original series, the feel of the film had to follow suit.
As the “Star Wars” universe grows, said producer (and Lucasfilm president) Kennedy, it’s important to expand female roles and create great models for girls, like Kennedy’s two daughters. The first such woman is Rey, played by Ridley, who describes her as a scavenger in a shop graveyard who does everything for herself, and is very solitary.
Boyega plays Finn, the first character we saw in the first “Force Awakens” teaser. “We find Finn, he’s in incredible danger, and the way he reacts to this danger changes his life and launches him into the ‘Star Wars’ universe in a very unique way,” Boyega said.
Golden Globe nominee Isaac plays Poe Dameron, an X-wing pilot. “He’s been sent on a mission by a certain princess, and ends up coming across John Boyega’s character, and their fates are forever intertwined.”
Abrams then promised that as we get closer to the December release date we’ll see and be introduced to more characters. But first, the audience was treated to appearances by Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker).
We saw new droid BB-8 strolling (well, more like rolling) across the stage and glimpsed four new droid domes in different colors — all designed by fans Lee Towersey and Oliver Steeples, who said that the new droids “without giving too much away, match their pilots.”
Speaking about his practical approach to designing the movie (as opposed to going overboard using special effects), Abrams said, “We needed to set a standard, a standard you felt was real. …You want it to be legitimate, you want it to be authentic.”
And for that, Abrams added, Abu Dhabi proved the perfect setting for the new planet we’ll see in the film.
“It was impossible to say no,” Abrams said of accepting the mantle of continuing the “Star Wars” saga. And it sure looks like he’s risen to the challenge. While you “can’t please everyone,” he said he’s definitely trying with “Force Awakens.” What do you think? Can the new movie possibly live up to the hype?
Continuity Junkie 