Written by Esther Kozakevich
As any self-respecting nerd knows, the long-awaited seventh episode of Star Wars, titled “The Force Awakens” is scheduled to be released on Dec. 18, 2015. Although the majority of people are rightfully excited, there are still those who are afraid that this new episode will be as big of a disappointment as the prequels. Those who are afraid of the seventh installment containing less of the original series’ brilliance and more Jar Jar Binks should rest assured—all signs point to the new episode being spectacular. The return of the original cast, a new director, as well as the existing legacy of Star Wars being one of the most successful movie franchises in history will all contribute to this new episode being a success.
Several of the most beloved aspects of the original trilogy will be making a reappearance in the new episode; actors such as Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill are coming back to represent their iconic characters of Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker. John Williams, the genius who composed music for the original series including “The Imperial March” and the theme heard at the start of all the movies, will be writing the score for the new series as well. With enough elements from the old movies, the new Star Wars movie has kept just the right amount of essentials to keep diehard fans happy.
However, The Force Awakens is also keeping things fresh and exciting to appeal to newer fans. New and hip director J.J. Abrams has proven his ability with directing sci-fi films such as both the newer Star Trek films. Additionally, besides many recurring cast members, some new stars, including Oscar-award winning actress Lupita Nyongo and “Game of Thrones” actress Gwendoline Christie, are to act in the new film. With amazing actors and a new director (sorry not sorry, George Lucas had to go), there’s no reason why this film wouldn’t be successful; in the past, films with worse actors, directors and screenplays have gone on to be great cinematic successes. Lastly, everyone knows how big of a deal Star Wars is. It’s safe to say that J.J. Abrams was aware when he signed onto being the director of perhaps the most beloved and classic franchise of this century, that if he did not execute this film to the liking of both new and old fans, that his career and reputation would be tarnished. Although it may seem dramatic, Star Wars has had a huge effect on several generations of American kids and is ingrained in our film culture. Signing on to direct something like it requires huge responsibility, one that a director would not take if he wasn’t certain it had what it took to please the millions of Americans who have loved Star Wars from a young age and will stop at nothing to defend and protect their beloved movies.
Those who are concerned about the new film should keep an open mind; while there is always a chance J.J. Abrams could royally mess up and create a film even more confusing and ridiculous than Episode 1, wouldn’t it just be so much easier if fans stopped obsessing over every minute detail in the trailer and instead just accepted the fact that a seventh series was coming out, and tried to enjoy it when it hit theaters in December? Besides, some pretty awful film crimes (drawn out explanations of midi-chlorians, poor character development, love dialogue so sappy it would make even Katherine Heigl cringe) have already been committed in the prequels. The details of the film may not be perfect, especially to those who have read the accompanying Star Wars books and comics, but to a certain extent, Star Wars is like pizza. Even if the seventh episode is bad, it’s still Star Wars, so how bad can it really be?
