We knew the opening panel fromStar WarsCelebration would featureStar Wars: The Force AwakensdirectorJ.J. Abramsand producerKathleen Kennedy, with “special guests” teased when the schedule was announced. The panel did not disappoint, with new cast membersJohn Boyega(Finn),Daisy Ridley(Rey) andOscar Isaac(Poe Dameron) taking the stage at the Anaheim Convention Center to raucous applause from the fans. If that wasn’t enough, LucasFilm has also debuted a new poster and photos of these characters.
We saw this trio of characters in the first teaser that debuted back in November, but there still isn’t much we know about these heroes. Thankfully, they shed a tiny bit of light on who they are at Celebration, starting withDaisy Ridley, who talked about how “self-sufficient” Rey is. It is also revealed that the desert planet we’ve seen is not Tatooine, but in fact a different desert planet called Jakku:
“We discover Rey on the desert planet Jakku. She is a scavenger in, like, a ship graveyard, and she is completely self-sufficient. She does everything for herself, very solitary, until she meets another character, and an adventure begins.”
While she wouldn’t say it outright, the character she meets is likely Finn, who was literally the first face fans saw when the teaser trailer debuted in late November. When asked how we first meet Finn inStar Wars: The Force Awakens,John Boyegahad this to say.
“We find Finn, he’s in incredible danger, and the way in which he decides to react to this danger, changes his life, number one, and launches him into theStar Warsuniverse in a very unique way. I can’t wait for you guys to see it.”
When asked if he could confirm if he was an actual Stormtrooper or not, the actor clammed up, with directorJ.J. Abramssitting right next to him. While he seemed to confirm he was a Stormtrooper, the director motioned for him to silence himself, which brought a great response from the crowd. When asked if he is a “good guy or bad guy,” the actor revealed, “My memory is completely gone.”
Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron was only shown briefly in the first teaser trailer, but we know he is an X-Wing fighter pilot. When asked for more on his character, the actor had this to say.
“He’s the best friggin pilot in the galaxy, that’s who he is. He’s been sent on a mission by a certain princess, and he ends up coming across Mr.John Boyega’s character, and their fates are forever intertwined.”
These new cast members were later joined by fan favoritesMark Hamill(Luke Skywalker),Carrie Fisher(Princess Leia),Anthony Daniels(C-3PO) andPeter Mayhew, although they didn’t reveal anything about where their characters are in this new sequel. In addition, we also have the new poster and several new photos of the characters that were revealed on the big screen at the convention center, which you can check out below. What do you think about these new characters inStar Wars: The Force Awakens? Chime in with your thoughts, and check out the new character photos below.
