Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18 and we can hardly contain our excitement! Disney released the first teaser last year on the day after Thanksgiving and, after a year of buildup, the buzz has reached a fever pitch with fans riveted to each new hint of what’s to come. As the release date nears, plot leaks abound so jitbit has released a Google Chrome extension that covers pages that contain spoilers with a Star Wars logo. Now you can get in on the superfan action worry-free. And speaking of superfans, here are 10 reasons why we can’t wait to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
1. It’s the first Star Wars movie to be released in 10 years.
Ten years! So much has happened! George Lucas sold all of the rights to this beloved franchise to Disney in 2012 and they put director J.J. Abrams at the helm. A superfan himself, Abrams is working with writer Lawrence Kasdan as well as many of the same actors and crew from the original Star Wars movies.
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2. Rey & Maz
Another reason to love J.J. Abrams! He doesn’t want this film to be just for the boys. We’ll get to meet two fierce new female characters. Newcomer Daisy Ridley plays Rey who she describes as, “She is a scavenger in a ship graveyard and she is completely self sufficient — she does everything for herself — and very solitary.” Lupita Nyung’o appears as Maz Kanata, a thousand year-old alien and former pirate.
3. Captain Phasma
Gwendoline Christie, who you may recognize as Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones, plays Captain Phasma. We’ve only caught glimpses of her shiny chrome stormtrooper uniform.
4. Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, is this generation’s Darth Vader. Going by the trailers he seems to be more ambitious, more of a loose canon and he built his own extra scary lightsaber.
5. Who Are the Knights of Ren?
Kylo Ren is a member of the Knights of Ren, which fans speculate may be a sort of Darth Vader cult. Darth Vader’s melted mask is terrifying!
6. The First Order
The First Order is the new evil empire and Starkiller Base looks to be the new Death Star. Both are rumored to be more powerful and sadistic than the baddies from the first Star Wars movies.
7. Princess Leia & Han Solo?
Princess Leia is now a general but are she and Han Solo together? Is he the father of her children? We’ve got to know!
8. Luke Skywalker?
Luke Skywalker hasn’t appeared in any of the trailers but Mark Hamill has indicated that he will show up in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. So what’s happened to him in the last 30 years?!
9. What Happened to C3PO’s Arm?
Marvel comics’ Star Wars Special: C-3P0 #1 explains the mystery behind C3PO’s red arm. It’s due out in December.
10. The Sets, the Costumes!
Costume designer Michael Kaplan got his start on Blade Runner so these outfits are going to be good! Production designers Rick Carter and Darren Gilford teamed up to create a modern take on the original 1977 set.
