UPDATE: There’s now a teaser of the upcoming trailer!
There has been an awakening in the fandom and it can mean only one thing… a new Star Wars: The Force Awakens poster has been released!
Featuring the art of Bryan Morton, the poster almost lives up to Drew Struzan’s style, capturing the characters and the universe that they have become so endearingly associated to. Nevertheless, it also serves to be a painful reminder that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is still a good 2 months away!
While the poster seems to be certainly a little bit more character heavy than previous ones, most notable is still the absence of Luke Skywalker. Where the Jedi (presumably) master has gone to remains unknown, but his trusty R2 unit is here in his usual place beside a certain protocol droid.
Related: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser Analysis
Along with toy favourite BB-8, we also have X-Wing pilot Poe Damaron and the much discussed Captain Phasma on the lower bit of the poster, surrounded by generic Stormtoopers of the First Order as well as X-Wings, TIE Fighters and Han’s trusty Falcon. Also, it seems like the Imperial Star Destroyers are still very much active.
While we once again get a look at Han and Chewie, this time ex-princess of Alderaan, Leia, joins them along with a new hairstyle. Interestingly, we also have a new character (flanking R2) that hasn’t had much exposure nor reveal in the teasers thus far. Whatever plays out from that character, let’s hope it isn’t the new Jar Jar.
[Edit: The alien is apparently Maz Kanata, a fully motion captured character played by Lupita Nyong’o. Guess that ends my Jar Jar fear. Thanks to reader Azmi for catching this!]
But really, the bulk of the attention goes to the trio of new characters that have been teased the most these last few months: Adam Driver’s new baddie Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley’s mysterious heroine Rey, and John Boyega’s maybe-Stormtooper-maybe-Jedi Finn… and that frikkin’ mother of Death Stars lookin’ thing in the background! What on Korriban is that?!
Related: Another Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser Analysis
Lucas has often mentioned how the Star Wars Saga is meant to play like poetry–both existing trilogies mirror each other in certain ways. Given Abram’s tendency to pay homage to those that have come before him, it’s possible that we may be seeing a very Death Star-like contraption occupying much of the plot again.
Or it’s all a ruse. Because, again, this is Abrams we’re talking about. The man’s no idiot. He isn’t going to put a big clue in the poster and let the audience guess what his movie’s about.
Just like Finn and the lightsaber. Given how we’ve seen the guy wield the saber in two posters and a teaser now (but not in any toys) I’m pretty sure Abrams is yanking our chains into just assuming Finn’s a Jedi. My money still remains on Rey being the Jedi and an heir to the Skywalker bloodline.
But tease or not, it’s almost here, fellow fans… Star Wars: The Force Awakens isn’t too far from gracing our lives with awesomeness!
And because we’ll never get tired of it, here’s the teaser from Star Wars Celebrations 2015: