The trailer for the upcoming sequel has finally launched, and boy is it a doozy. With elaborate special effects, fast paced action and numerous familiar faces, it's definitely be a welcome return for The Resistance. Grab your lightsaber and let's take a ride of epic proportions as we watch the trailer for "Star Wars: The Last Jedi".
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
The Film follows on from Rey's (Daisy Ridley) discovery of the secluded former master Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamil). The trailer's theme appears to revolve around the relationship between mentor and student.
While Rey struggles with training to control her powers of the Force, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo (Adam Driver) meets with his mentor, First Supreme Leader Snoke, as they plan their revenge against The Resistance.
We then get glimpses of Kylo's mother, General/Princess Leia (the late carrie fisher). The trailer makes it apparent that Kylo will be conflicted over killing her after he unceremoniously killed his father, Han Solo, in "The Force Awakens". Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) also appear helping Rey in her quest along with Chewbacca in the Millennial Falcon with a new creature called a Porg (a cute cross between a penguin and a guinea pig). With battles, explosions and majestic galaxies, the trailer ends on a cliffhanger: could Rey turn to the dark or could Kylo turn to the light?
You're our only hope
Taking over from J.J Abrams in the director's chair for the sequel is Rian Johnson. Responsible for directing films like "Looper" and episodes for shows like "Breaking Bad", his direction has received mass acclaim. Having appeared in a cameo for the spin-off "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," his love for the series clearly shows in this trailer, as shown by his immaculate direction and attention to detail.
All the main cast members from "The Force Awakens" will reprise their roles, except for Harrison Ford due to Han Solo's death. Andy Serkis AKA the master of motion capture, appears to have a larger role as Supreme Leader Snoke in this installment. Despite not appearing in the trailer, Domnhall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong'o and Gwendoline Christie have been confirmed to return as General Hux, Maz Kanata and Captain Phasma respectively.
New cast members for "The Last Jedi" will include Laura Dern ("Big Little Lies"), Benicio del Toro ("Guardians of the Galaxy") and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.
Following James Bond actor Daniel Craig's cameo as a Stormtrooper in "The Force Awakens", many other celebrities will be making cameos in "The Last Jedi". These will include British Princes William and Harry, Tom Hardy ("Mad Max: Fury Road"), Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("500 Days of Summer"), and "Take That" member Gary Barlow. "Star Wars" darling Warwick Davis will also be returning in an unspecified role.
May the Force be with you
24 hours after the trailer's launch, it's already reached 20 million views and is currently the number one trending video on YouTube.
This comes after the huge success of the first film of the rebooted trilogy, "The Force Awakens", back in 2015. Earning over $2 billion worldwide and garnering critical acclaim, the film did beyond what it set out to do: make people forget about the prequel series.
This trailer also comes after Carrie Fisher's untimely death in 2016. Having played a massive role in the franchise, she was in the midst of filming the final installment "Episode IX", set for a December 2019 release. With her family's blessing, Disney plans on using footage Fisher had already filmed for the sequel and won't be relying on motion capture or CGI to bring Leia back to life.
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" will be released on December 14th in UK and December 15th in the US.