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''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American
epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...
space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes Space warfare in science fiction, space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, i ...
film co-produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
'' (1983), it is the first installment of the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy and chronologically the seventh film of the "
Skywalker Saga The ''Star Wars'' franchise involves multiple live-action and animated films. The series was initially created as a trilogy set ''in medias res'' (partway through the plot) that was later expanded into a trilogy of trilogies, known as the "S ...
". Set thirty years after ''Return of the Jedi'', ''The Force Awakens'' follows Rey, Finn,
Poe Dameron Poe Dameron is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 2015 film ''The Force Awakens'', and is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. Poe is an pilot for the Resistance who inadvertently brings the renegade stormtroop ...
, and
Han Solo Han Solo () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 1977 film ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', and later appeared in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''Star Wars: The F ...
's search for
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
and their fight in the Resistance, led by General
Leia Organa Princess Leia Organa ( or ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is a princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Imperial Senate, and an agent of the Rebel ...
and veterans of the
Rebel Alliance The Rebel Alliance (known formally Universe of Star Wars, in-universe as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) is an organization that features in the fictional world of the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a state ...
, against
Kylo Ren Kylo Ren (born Ben Solo) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), the first film of the sequel trilogy as the main antagonist. He subsequently appeared in '' The Last Jedi'' (20 ...
and the
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
, a successor to the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a science fiction setting trope, in which most or all of the habitable planets in the setting's galaxy are ruled by a single centralized political entity. Galactic empires most frequently appear in works in the sub-genre ...
. The film stars
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
,
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
,
Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the Star Wars original trilogy, original ''Star Wars'' films (1977–1983) and reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The F ...
,
Adam Driver Adam Douglas Driver (born November 19, 1983) is an American actor, recognized for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers. Driver made his film debut in ''J. Edgar'' (2011) and played supporting roles in ''Lincoln (film), Lincoln'' (2012), '' ...
,
Daisy Ridley Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley (born 10 April 1992) is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy. She appeared in the mystery film ''Murder on the Orient Express'' (2017), played the title ...
,
John Boyega John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega (born 17 March 1992), known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first gained recognition in Britain for his role as a teenage gang leader in the comedy horror film ''Attack the B ...
,
Oscar Isaac Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is an American actor. Recognized for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino characters in Cinema of the United States, H ...
,
Lupita Nyong'o Lupita Amondi Nyong'o ( , , ; born 1 March 1983) is an actress who has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, a ...
,
Andy Serkis Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his motion capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Gollum in ''The Lo ...
,
Domhnall Gleeson Domhnall Gleeson (; born 12 May 1983) is an Irish actor and screenwriter. The son of actor Brendan Gleeson, he studied media arts at the Dublin Institute of Technology. He began his career by directing and writing several short films, and garne ...
,
Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 11 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
,
Peter Mayhew Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 origi ...
, and
Max von Sydow Max von Sydow (; born Carl Adolf von Sydow; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish and French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television ...
. Work on a seventh entry in the "Skywalker Saga" commenced after
the Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
's acquisition of
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
in 2012. The film is the first ''Star Wars'' film to not extensively involve franchise creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
, who only served as a creative consultant in the early stages of production. ''The Force Awakens'' was produced by Abrams, his longtime collaborator
Bryan Burk Bryan Burk (born December 30, 1968) is an American film and television producer. He is mostly known for producing movies in collaboration with J. J. Abrams, including the ''Star Trek'' reboot series, the ''Mission: Impossible'' films '' Gh ...
, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams and
Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the ''Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...
, co-writer of the original trilogy films ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980) and ''Return of the Jedi'', rewrote an initial script by
Michael Arndt Michael Arndt is an American screenwriter, who has written for the films ''Little Miss Sunshine'' (2006), ''Toy Story 3'' (2010), and '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015). Arndt won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for ''Littl ...
.
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
, composer for the previous episodic films, returned to compose the
score SCORE may refer to: *SCORE (software), a music scorewriter program * SCORE (television), a weekend sports service of the defunct Financial News Network *SCORE! Educational Centers *SCORE International, an offroad racing organization *Sarawak Corrido ...
.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
began in April 2014 and concluded the following November. Filming took place on sets at
Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...
in England, and on location mainly in Abu Dhabi, Iceland, and Ireland. On a budget of $533 million, it is the most expensive film ever made. ''The Force Awakens'' premiered in
Hollywood, Los Angeles Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...
, on December 14, 2015, and was released in the United States on December 18. It was positively received by critics, who found it an action-packed film with the mix of new and familiar actors capturing the nostalgia of the original trilogy and giving the franchise new energy. The film grossed $2.07billion worldwide, breaking various box office records and becoming the highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada, the highest-grossing film of 2015, and the third-highest-grossing film at the time of its release. It was nominated for five awards at the
88th Academy Awards The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2015 and took place on February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, 5:30 p.m. PST. D ...
and received numerous other accolades. The film was followed by ''
The Last Jedi ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictu ...
'' (2017) and ''
The Rise of Skywalker ''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams's production co ...
'' (2019), rounding out the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy.


Plot

Thirty years after the Battle of
Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to: Places * Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived * Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war * Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel ...
, the First Order has risen from the fallen Galactic Empire and seeks to end the New Republic. The Resistance, led by General Leia Organa, opposes the First Order. Leia also searches for her missing twin brother,
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
. On the desert planet
Jakku Jakku is a fictional desert planet in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first featured in the 2015 film '' The Force Awakens''. Remote, lawless, and inhospitable, it is the homeworld of sequel trilogy main character Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, an ...
, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron receives a map to Luke's location. First Order
stormtroopers Stormtrooper or storm trooper may refer to: Military *Stormtroopers (Imperial Germany), specialist soldier of the German Army in World War I *''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) or Storm Detachment, a paramilitary organization of the German Nazi Party * 8th I ...
commanded by Kylo Ren arrive and capture Poe. His droid, , escapes with the map and encounters Rey, a lone scavenger. Kylo tortures Poe using
the Force The Force is a Metaphysics, metaphysical, mysterious, and Energy (esotericism), ubiquitous power in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, fictional universe. Characters refer to the Force as an energy that interconnects all things in the univer ...
and learns of . Stormtrooper , disillusioned with the First Order, saves Poe, and they escape in a stolen
TIE fighter The TIE fighter or Twin Ion Engine fighter is a series of fictional Starfighter (science fiction), starfighters featured in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters p ...
. Upon learning that has no other name, Poe names him "Finn". As they head to Jakku to retrieve , a First Order
Star Destroyer Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Empire, the First Ord ...
shoots them, and they crash-land. Finn survives and assumes Poe was killed after finding his jacket in the wreck. Finn encounters Rey and , but the First Order tracks them and launches an airstrike. Rey, Finn, and steal the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the film ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back' ...
'' and escape Jakku. The ''Falcon'' is discovered and boarded by Han Solo and
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk. He is tall, and typically wears only a bandolier an ...
. Gangs seeking to settle debts with Han attack, but the group escapes in the ''Falcon''. At the First Order's
Starkiller Base The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera Media franchise, franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empir ...
, a planet converted into a superweapon,
Supreme Leader Snoke Supreme Leader Snoke is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is an artificial being created by the resurrected Sith Lord, Emperor Palpatine, who is aligned with the dark side of the Force. He was introduced in ''Star Wars: The ...
approves
General Hux General Armitage Hux is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', he is portrayed by Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson. He is an unpleasant military commander in a powe ...
's request to use the weapon on the New Republic. Snoke questions Kylo's ability to deal with emotions surrounding his father, Han Solo, whom Kylo states means nothing to him. Aboard the ''Falcon'', Han determines that BB-8's map is incomplete. He then explains that Luke attempted to rebuild the
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depic ...
Order but exiled himself when an apprentice turned to the dark side, destroyed Luke's temple, and slaughtered the other apprentices. The crew travels to the planet Takodana and meets with
cantina A cantina is a type of Bar (establishment), bar common in Latin America and Spain. The word is similar in etymology to "canteen (place), canteen", and is derived from the Italian language, Italian word for a Wine cellar, cellar, winery, or Vault ...
owner
Maz Kanata Maz Kanata is a fictional character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', she is a computer-generated imagery, computer-generated character voiced and performed through motion cap ...
, who offers help getting BB-8 to the Resistance. The Force draws Rey to a secluded vault, where she finds
Anakin Skywalker Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the Star Wars original trilogy, original film trilogy as the primary Antagonist, antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire (Star W ...
's
lightsaber A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout ''Star Wars''. A typical lightsaber is shown as a luminous laser sword about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' ...
. She experiences disturbing visions, including a childhood memory of a ship leaving her on Jakku. Rey denies the lightsaber at Maz's offering and flees into the woods. Maz gives Finn the lightsaber for safekeeping. Starkiller Base destroys the Hosnian star system, including the New Republic capital
Hosnian Prime The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disne ...
, leaving the Resistance without support. The First Order attacks Takodana in search of . Han, Chewbacca, and Finn are saved by Resistance
X-wing fighter The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation and later the Incom-FreiTek Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (w ...
s led by Poe, who survived the crash. Leia arrives at Takodana with and reunites with Han; it is revealed that she is Kylo's mother. Meanwhile, Kylo captures Rey, realizing she had seen the map, and takes her to Starkiller Base, but she resists his mind-reading attempts. Snoke orders Kylo to bring Rey to him. Discovering she can use the Force, Rey escapes using a Jedi mind trick on a stormtrooper guard. At the Resistance base, BB-8 finds
R2-D2 R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date, including every film in the " Skywalker Saga", which inclu ...
, who had been in low-power mode since Luke's disappearance. As Starkiller Base prepares to fire again, the Resistance plans to destroy it by attacking its thermal oscillator. Using the ''Falcon'', Han, Chewbacca, and Finn infiltrate the facility, find Rey, and plant explosives. Han confronts Kylo, calling him by his birth name, Ben, and implores him to abandon the dark side. Kylo seems to consider this, but he ultimately kills Han. Chewbacca shoots Kylo, injuring him, and sets off the explosives, allowing Poe to attack and destroy the base's thermal oscillator. Kylo pursues Rey and Finn into the woods and incapacitates Rey. Finn uses the lightsaber to duel Kylo but is quickly defeated. Rey awakens, takes the lightsaber, and defeats Kylo in a duel. Snoke orders Hux to evacuate and bring Kylo to him to complete his training. Chewbacca saves Rey and the injured Finn, and they escape aboard the ''Falcon''. As the Resistance forces flee, Starkiller Base implodes and erupts into a star. awakens and reveals the rest of the map, which points to the oceanic planet
Ahch-To The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disne ...
. Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 travel to Ahch-To on the ''Falcon''. Rey finds Luke atop a cliff on a remote island and presents him with his lightsaber.


Cast

*
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
as
Han Solo Han Solo () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 1977 film ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', and later appeared in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''Star Wars: The F ...
: A smuggler and captain of the ''Millennium Falcon'' *
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
as
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
: The last
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depic ...
, who has gone into hiding *
Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the Star Wars original trilogy, original ''Star Wars'' films (1977–1983) and reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The F ...
as General Leia Organa: A leader of the Resistance *
Adam Driver Adam Douglas Driver (born November 19, 1983) is an American actor, recognized for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers. Driver made his film debut in ''J. Edgar'' (2011) and played supporting roles in ''Lincoln (film), Lincoln'' (2012), '' ...
as
Kylo Ren Kylo Ren (born Ben Solo) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), the first film of the sequel trilogy as the main antagonist. He subsequently appeared in '' The Last Jedi'' (20 ...
: A leader of the Knights of Ren and a warlord of the First Order, who is the son of Han and Leia *
Daisy Ridley Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley (born 10 April 1992) is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy. She appeared in the mystery film ''Murder on the Orient Express'' (2017), played the title ...
as Rey: A Force-sensitive scavenger **
Cailey Fleming Cailey Presley Fleming (born March 28, 2007) is an American actress. She gained prominence for her portrayal of Judith Grimes on the AMC horror-drama television series '' The Walking Dead'' (2018–2022), as young Rey in Star Wars, and as the ma ...
as young Rey *
John Boyega John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega (born 17 March 1992), known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first gained recognition in Britain for his role as a teenage gang leader in the comedy horror film ''Attack the B ...
as Finn: A reformed First Order stormtrooper *
Oscar Isaac Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is an American actor. Recognized for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino characters in Cinema of the United States, H ...
as
Poe Dameron Poe Dameron is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 2015 film ''The Force Awakens'', and is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. Poe is an pilot for the Resistance who inadvertently brings the renegade stormtroop ...
: A high-ranking
X-wing fighter The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation and later the Incom-FreiTek Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (w ...
pilot of the Resistance *
Lupita Nyong'o Lupita Amondi Nyong'o ( , , ; born 1 March 1983) is an actress who has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, a ...
as
Maz Kanata Maz Kanata is a fictional character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', she is a computer-generated imagery, computer-generated character voiced and performed through motion cap ...
: A centuries-old and perceptive alien who owns a castle on the peaceful forest planet Takodana *
Andy Serkis Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his motion capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Gollum in ''The Lo ...
as
Supreme Leader Snoke Supreme Leader Snoke is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is an artificial being created by the resurrected Sith Lord, Emperor Palpatine, who is aligned with the dark side of the Force. He was introduced in ''Star Wars: The ...
: An enigmatic, genetically artificial leader of the First Order *
Domhnall Gleeson Domhnall Gleeson (; born 12 May 1983) is an Irish actor and screenwriter. The son of actor Brendan Gleeson, he studied media arts at the Dublin Institute of Technology. He began his career by directing and writing several short films, and garne ...
as
General Hux General Armitage Hux is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', he is portrayed by Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson. He is an unpleasant military commander in a powe ...
: The commander of the First Order's Starkiller Base *
Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 11 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
as
C-3PO C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a protocol droid (Star Wars), droid designed to assist in etiquette and translation, and is fluent in over six million forms of communication. The chara ...
: A humanoid protocol droid *
Peter Mayhew Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 origi ...
as
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk. He is tall, and typically wears only a bandolier an ...
: Han's loyal
Wookiee Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee in the films is ...
friend and co-pilot **
Joonas Suotamo Joonas Viljami Suotamo (; born 3 October 1986) is a Finnish actor and former professional basketball player. He is best known for his role as Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' saga, taking over the role from Peter Mayhew, first as a body double, wit ...
and Ian Whyte served as body doubles for Mayhew as he suffered from health problems *
Max von Sydow Max von Sydow (; born Carl Adolf von Sydow; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish and French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television ...
as Lor San Tekka: A galactic explorer searching for Luke Skywalker
Tim Rose Timothy Alan Patrick Rose (September 23, 1940 – September 24, 2002) (unofficial website by long-term correspondent of Rose's) was an American singer and songwriter who spent much of his life in London, England, and had more success in E ...
and
Mike Quinn Michael Patrick Quinn (born April 15, 1974) is an American former professional football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Denve ...
reprise their respective roles as
Admiral Ackbar Fleet Admiral Gial Ackbar is a fictional character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. A member of the amphibious Mon Calamari species, Ackbar was the foremost military commander of the Rebel Alliance, and he led the attack against the secon ...
and Nien Nunb from ''Return of the Jedi'', with
Erik Bauersfeld Erik Bauersfeld (June 28, 1922 – April 3, 2016) was an American radio dramatist and voice actor. His most notable role was providing the voices of Admiral Ackbar and Bib Fortuna in the third film of the original Star Wars trilogy, ''Return of ...
and Kipsang Rotich returning their respective voices. Kenny Baker, originally announced as part of the cast, was credited as "consultant" for
R2-D2 R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date, including every film in the " Skywalker Saga", which inclu ...
, with
Jimmy Vee James Vee (born 3 February 1959) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for playing a number of ''Doctor Who'' Creatures and aliens in Doctor Who, monsters and aliens including Bannakaffalatta in the 2007 Christmas special ''Voyage of the Damned ...
performing some of the work for R2-D2.
Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama and ...
has an uncredited vocal cameo as
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
in Rey's vision sequence, while archival audio of
Frank Oz Frank Richard Oznowicz (born May 25, 1944), known professionally as Frank Oz, is an American puppeteer, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for his involvement with Jim Henson and George Lucas through ''The Muppets'', ''Sesame Street'', and '' ...
and
Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI, British Film Institute listing of 1999 of BFI Top 100 British films, the 100 most important British films of the 20th century ...
as
Yoda Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force. He first appeared in the 1980 film '' The Empire Strikes Back'', in which he is voiced and puppeteered by F ...
and Kenobi, respectively, are also used in the same scene; Oz recorded new dialogue for the film, but it was replaced with preexisting audio from ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
''. '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' voice actor
James Arnold Taylor James Arnold Taylor (born July 22, 1969), also known by his initials JAT, is an American voice and television actor. He is known for voicing Ratchet in the ''Ratchet & Clank'' franchise, the main character Tidus in '' Final Fantasy X'', Shuyin ...
, who has voiced Obi-Wan Kenobi in different ''Star Wars'' media, originally recorded Kenobi's dialogue, but his recordings were replaced with McGregor's.
Gwendoline Christie Gwendoline Christie (born 28 October 1978) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Brienne of Tarth in the HBO fantasy-drama series ''Game of Thrones'' (2012–2019), and the First Order (Star Wars), First Order Stormtrooper (Star War ...
portrays Captain Phasma, the commander of the First Order's legions of stormtroopers. Dave Chapman and Brian Herring served as puppeteers for
BB-8 BB-8 (or Beebee-Ate) is a Droid (Star Wars), droid character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. He appeared in the three films of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, sequel trilogy, ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''Star Wars: The Las ...
, with
Bill Hader William Thomas Hader Jr.''Finding Your Roots'', January 26, 2016, PBS. (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and director. He was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 20 ...
and
Ben Schwartz Benjamin Joseph Schwartz (born September 15, 1981) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his recurring role as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on the NBC sitcom '' Parks and Recreation'', his starring role as Clyde Oberholt on the Sh ...
credited as "Vocal Consultants".
Ken Leung Kenneth Leung (born January 21, 1970) is an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has gained attention for playing Miles Straume in the ABC drama series '' Lost'' (2008–2010) and Eric Tao in HBO drama series ''Industry' ...
appears as Statura, an admiral in the Resistance.
Simon Pegg Simon John Pegg (; born 14 February 1970) is an English actor, comedian and screenwriter. He came to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom ''Spaced'' (1999–2001), directed by Edgar Wright. He and Wright co-wrote the ...
appears as Unkar Plutt, the Junk parts dealer on Jakku.
Greg Grunberg Gregory Phillip Grunberg (born July 11, 1966) is an American film and television actor known for starring as Eric Weiss in the ABC series '' Alias'', Matt Parkman in the NBC series '' Heroes'', Temmin "Snap" Wexley in '' Star Wars: The Force ...
plays Temmin "Snap" Wexley, an X-wing pilot.
Kiran Shah Kiran Jethalal Shah (born 28 September 1956) is a Kenyan actor and stunt double. Shah was born in Nairobi, Kenya to an Indian family. He lived in Kenya until he was twelve years old, when he moved to India with his family. While living in Ind ...
plays Teedo, a scavenger on Jakku who rides a semi-mechanical Luggabeast.
Jessica Henwick Jessica Yu-Li Henwick ( ;) is a British actress, writer, and director. She began her career in 2010 and is best known for her roles in ''Game of Thrones'' (2015–17), '' Iron Fist'' (2017–18), '' Love and Monsters'' (2020), ''Underwater (film ...
appears as Jess "Testor" Pava or Jess Testor, an X-wing pilot.
Brian Vernel Brian Vernel is a Scottish actor best known for his film role as Bala-Tik in '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), as Odda the Younger in the TV series ''The Last Kingdom'' (2015), and Billy Wallace in British gangster series '' Gangs of L ...
appears as Bala-Tik, the leader of the Guavian Death Gang.
Yayan Ruhian Yayan Ruhian (born 19 October 1968) is an Indonesian martial artist and actor. He is known for co-starring in Gareth Evans' films '' The Raid'' (2011) as Mad Dog, '' The Raid 2'' (2014) as Prakoso, '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015) as Ta ...
and
Iko Uwais Uwais Qorny (), known professionally as Iko Uwais, (born 12 February 1983) is an Indonesian actor, stuntman, fight choreographer, and martial artist. He is best known for acting in the action films '' Merantau'' (2009), '' The Raid'' (2011), '' ...
appear as Tasu Leech and Razoo Qin-Fee, members of the Kanjiklub Gang, a criminal organization.
Warwick Davis Warwick Ashley Davis ( ; born 3 February 1970) is an English actor and television presenter. Active within the industry since he was eleven, Davis is one of the highest grossing supporting actors of all time and has the highest average gross r ...
appears as Wollivan, a tavern-dweller in Maz Kanata's castle.
Anna Brewster Anna Brewster is an English actress and model. Early life Anna Brewster is from Moseley, Birmingham to school teacher parents. She attended St Bernard's RC School, Kings Heath Junior School and Queensbridge School in Moseley before studying ...
appears as
Bazine Netal ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic space opera film co-produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ...
, a First Order spy, also at Maz Kanata's castle.
Hannah John-Kamen Hannah Dominique John-Kamen (born 7 September 1989) is an English actress. She is known for her television roles in ''Black Mirror'' (2011–2016), '' Killjoys'' (2015–2019), ''Brave New World'' (2020), and Netflix miniseries '' The Stranger' ...
appears as a First Order officer.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster Thomas Brodie-Sangster (born 16 May 1990) is an English actor. As a child actor, he gained recognition for his roles in the commercially successful films ''Love Actually'' (2003) and ''Nanny McPhee'' (2005). He voiced Ferb Fletcher, Ferb in the ...
and
Kate Fleetwood Kate Fleetwood (born 24 September 1972) is an English actress and voice over artist. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Lady Macbeth in ''Macbeth'', at Chichester Festival Theatre and the West End and Broadway and an O ...
play First Order Petty Officers, Thanisson and Unamo, respectively.
Billie Lourd Billie Catherine Lourd (born July 17, 1992) is an American actress, best known for starring as Chanel #3 in the Fox horror comedy series '' Scream Queens'' (2015–2016) and for her roles in the FX horror anthology series ''American Horror St ...
, daughter of Carrie Fisher, appears as Connix, a lieutenant in the Resistance. Members of the Resistance include
Emun Elliott Emun Elliott (born 28 November 1983) is a Scottish actor, known for portraying Dr. Christian King in ''Paradox'', Richie in ''Threesome'', John Moray in '' The Paradise'', Kenny in ''Guilt'', and Tony Brightwell in The Gold. Background Elliot ...
as Brance and
Maisie Richardson-Sellers Maisie Richardson-Sellers is a British actress and director. She first gained recognition for her role as Rebekah Mikaelson / Eva Sinclair on The CW series '' The Originals''. She has since gained wider recognition for her starring roles as Kat ...
as Korr Sella while
Harriet Walter Dame Harriet Mary Walter is an English actress. She has received an Olivier Award and nominations for a Tony Award, five Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2011, Walter was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British E ...
appears as Kalonia, the doctor who tends to Chewbacca.
Mark Stanley Mark Robert Speight, known professionally as Mark Stanley, is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in ''Game of Thrones'', '' Dickensian'', and as Rob Hepworth in the third series of BBC drama Happy Valley. Early life and educatio ...
appears as a Knight of Ren.
Sebastian Armesto Sebastian Felipe Xavier Fernández-Garcia Armesto (born 3 June 1982) is an English film, television and theatre actor. He is the son of historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto. Career Television and film Armesto played Charles V, Holy Roman Emp ...
portrays Lieutenant Mitaka and
Pip Torrens Philip D'Oyly TorrensThe Cambridge University List of Members up to 31 July 1998, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998, p. 793 (born 2 June 1960) is an English actor. Torrens portrayed courtier Tommy Lascelles in the Netfl ...
portrays Colonel Kaplan, both serving the First Order.
Daniel Craig Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968) is an English actor. His accolades include two National Board of Review Awards, in addition to nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. ...
,
Michael Giacchino Michael Giacchino ( , ; born October 10, 1967) is an American film, television, and video game score composer. He has received many accolades for his work, including an Academy Award for ''Up (2009 film), Up'' (2009), an Emmy Award, Emmy for Lo ...
, and
Nigel Godrich Nigel Timothy Godrich (born 28 February 1971) is an English record producer, recording engineer and musician. He has worked with acts including Radiohead, Travis, Beck, Air, Paul McCartney, U2, R.E.M., Pavement, Roger Waters, Arcade Fire and ...
cameo as stormtroopers. Abrams' assistant, Morgan Dameron, appears as a Resistance officer, while his father, Gerald W. Abrams, appears as Captain Cypress. Dialect coach Andrew Jack portrays Resistance Major Caluan Ematt. Additionally, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen,
Christina Chong Christina Chong is a British actress and singer. She has appeared in several notable roles in film and television, including ''Monroe'', ''Line of Duty'', '' Halo: Nightfall'', ''Black Mirror'', ''Doctor Who'', and '' 24: Live Another Day''. S ...
, Miltos Yerolemou, Amybeth Hargreaves, Leanne Best,
Judah Friedlander Judah Friedlander (born March 16, 1969) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is known for playing the role of writer Frank Rossitano on the NBC sitcom ''30 Rock''. Friedlander is also known for his role as Toby Radloff in the film ''Am ...
, and
Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget buddy comedy film ''Clerks (film), Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted i ...
appear in minor roles. Riot control stormtrooper FN-2199, who calls Finn a traitor during the battle on Takodana, was portrayed by stunt performer
Liang Yang Liang Yang ( zh, s=杨亮, p=Yáng Liàng; born March 26, 1980) is a Chinese actor, stuntman and martial artist. He is known for his work in the Hollywood film industry in movies such as ''Skyfall'', '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' and '' Missi ...
and voiced by sound editor
David Acord David Acord is an American sound editor and voice actor best known for his contribution as a supervising sound editor of the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. Acord received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing a ...
.


Production


Development

''Star Wars'' creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
discussed ideas for a sequel trilogy several times after the conclusion of the original trilogy, but denied any intent to make it. A seventh entry in the "
Skywalker Saga The ''Star Wars'' franchise involves multiple live-action and animated films. The series was initially created as a trilogy set ''in medias res'' (partway through the plot) that was later expanded into a trilogy of trilogies, known as the "S ...
", a nine-part ''Star Wars'' series, began development shortly after Lucas sold his production company
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
to
the Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
in October 2012. Speaking alongside Lucasfilm's new president, Kathleen Kennedy, Lucas said: "I always said I wasn't going to do any more and that's true, because I'm not going to do any more, but that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to turn it over to Kathy to do more." As creative consultant on the film, Lucas attended early story meetings and advised on the details of the ''Star Wars'' universe. Among the materials he turned over to the production team were his rough story treatments for ''Episodes VII–IX'', which Lucas requested be read only by Kennedy,
Bob Iger Robert Alan Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American media executive who is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Walt Disney Company. He previously was the president of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) between 1994 and 1995 and p ...
, Alan F. Horn, and Kevin A. Mayer. Lucas later said Disney had discarded his story ideas and that he had no further involvement with the film. Lucas' son Jett told ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' that his father was "very torn" about having sold the rights to the franchise and that his father was "there to guide" but that "he wants to let it go and become its new generation". ''The Force Awakens'' first screenplay was written by
Michael Arndt Michael Arndt is an American screenwriter, who has written for the films ''Little Miss Sunshine'' (2006), ''Toy Story 3'' (2010), and '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015). Arndt won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for ''Littl ...
. At the time of his hiring, Arndt was also tapped to pen story treatments for the following installments. Arndt took part in a writers room with
Simon Kinberg Simon David Kinberg (born August 2, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He wrote and produced a number of films in the X-Men (film series), ''X-Men'' film franchise for 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Fox, and had produced a number of other projec ...
,
Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the ''Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...
, Pablo Hidalgo, and Kiri Hart to discuss and plan the overall trilogy. Early drafts had
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
appear midway through the film, but Arndt found that "every time Luke came in and entered the movie, he just took it over. Suddenly you didn't care about your main character anymore." The writers decided to use Luke as the film's
MacGuffin In fiction, a MacGuffin (sometimes McGuffin) is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The term was originated by Angus MacPhail fo ...
and, as something that the protagonists needed to find, would not appear in person until the final scene. Arndt also developed some backstory elements for the returning characters from the original trilogy, such as how Leia was instrumental in rebuilding the Republic after the fall of the Empire before being discredited when it was publicly revealed that her biological father was Darth Vader (this would go on to become a central plot point in the canonical novel '' Star Wars: Bloodline''). Several directors were considered, including
David Fincher David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. Often described as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, David Fincher filmography, his films, of which most are psychological thrillers, have collectiv ...
,
Brad Bird Philip Bradley Bird (born September 24, 1957) is an American filmmaker, animator, and voice actor. He has had a career spanning over four decades in both animation and Live action, live-action. Bird was born in Montana and grew up in Oregon. He ...
,
Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...
, and
Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born 9 October 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and artist. His work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales, Gothic fiction, gothicism and horror fiction, horror often blending the genres ...
. Bird was reportedly the "top choice" to helm the film, but his commitments to ''
Tomorrowland Tomorrowland may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Tomorrowland (Disney Parks), a theme land at a number of Disney theme parks around the world * Tomorrowland (festival), an annual electronic dance music festival in Boom, Belgium * ''Tom ...
'' forced him to withdraw.
Matthew Vaughn Sir Matthew Allard Robert Vaughn (legal name Matthew Allard Robert de Vere Drummond; born 7 March 1971) is an English filmmaker. He has produced films including ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) and ''Snatch (film), Snatch'' (2000 ...
was an early candidate for the job, even dropping out of '' X-Men: Days of Future Past'' in favor for the film.
Colin Trevorrow Colin Trevorrow (; born September 13, 1976) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He made his feature directorial debut with the science fiction comedy ''Safety Not Guaranteed'' (2012) to critical and commercial success. Trevo ...
was also under consideration by the studio, while
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
and
Neill Blomkamp Neill Blomkamp (; born 17 September 1979) is a South African and Canadian film director and screenwriter. He is known as the co-writer and director of the science fiction action film ''District 9'' (2009), for which he was nominated for the Aca ...
passed on the project. After a suggestion by
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...
to Kennedy, J. J. Abrams was named director in January 2013, with Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg as project consultants. Kasdan worked to convince Abrams to direct the film after the filmmaker initially rejected the offer. Arndt worked on the script for eight months, but said he needed 18 more, which was more time than Disney or Abrams could give him. The production announced Arndt's exit from the project on October 24, 2013. That same day, Kasdan and Abrams took over script duties, both of whom planned the story while walking in
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, New York City, Paris, and London. The first draft was completed in six weeks. Abrams said the key to the film was that it return to the roots of the first ''Star Wars'' films and be based more on emotion than explanation. In January 2014, Abrams confirmed that the script was complete. In April 2014, Lucasfilm clarified that ''Episodes VII–IX'' would not feature storylines from the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe, though other elements could be included, as with the TV series ''
Star Wars Rebels ''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animated science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place 14 years after '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005 ...
''. Abrams stated that he purposely withheld some plot elements from ''The Force Awakens'', such as Rey and Finn's last names and backgrounds. Kennedy admitted that "we haven't mapped out every single detail f the sequel trilogyyet", but said that Abrams was collaborating with ''
The Last Jedi ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictu ...
'' director
Rian Johnson Rian Craig Johnson (born December 17, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film ''Brick (film), Brick'' (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget ...
, and that Johnson would work with ''
The Rise of Skywalker ''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams's production co ...
''s then-director
Colin Trevorrow Colin Trevorrow (; born September 13, 1976) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He made his feature directorial debut with the science fiction comedy ''Safety Not Guaranteed'' (2012) to critical and commercial success. Trevo ...
to ensure a smooth transition and that "everybody's got a say in how we move forward with this". Daisy Ridley later recounted that J. J. Abrams had written drafts for episodes 8 and 9. A fictional language was developed for use in the film by
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
star
Sara Forsberg Sara Maria Forsberg (; born 2 May 1994), formerly known professionally as SAARA, Smo, Smoukahontas, or Smokahontas, is a Finnish singer, songwriter, YouTube personality, and television presenter. As a singer, Forsberg was signed to Capitol Reco ...
, who created the
viral video Viral videos are video, videos that become popular through viral phenomenon, a viral process of Internet sharing, primarily through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.Lu Jiang, Yajie Miao, Yi Yang, ZhenZhon ...
series "What Languages Sound Like To Foreigners"; Forsberg developed the language by studying various languages, such as Hindi and Gujarati. In November 2015, Lucas recorded an hour-long interview with
CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio broadcaster CBS. It is headquartered in New York City. CBS News television programs include ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs ''CBS News Sunday Morn ...
reporter
Charlie Rose Charles Peete Rose Jr. (born January 5, 1942) is an American journalist and talk show host. From 1991 to 2017, he was the host and executive producer of the talk show ''Charlie Rose (talk show), Charlie Rose'' on PBS and Bloomberg L.P., Bloombe ...
in which he said Disney had not been "keen" to involve him and conceded: "If I get in there, I'm just going to cause trouble because they're not going to do what I want them to do, and I don't have the control to do that any more, and all it would do is just muck everything up." He also said, "They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that. Every movie, I worked very hard to make them different  ..I made them completely different—different planets, different spaceships to make it new." In early December 2015, Kathleen Kennedy told ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' that Lucas had seen the movie and "liked it". In the same month, at the
Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to Culture of the United States, American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in ...
, Lucas stated, "I think the fans are going to love it, It's very much the kind of movie they've been looking for." Abrams felt that, as the first in a new trilogy, the film "needed to take a couple of steps backwards into very familiar terrain" and use plot elements from previous ''Star Wars'' films.


Pre-production

In May 2013, it was confirmed that ''The Force Awakens'' would be filmed in the United Kingdom. Representatives from Lucasfilm met with
Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and the head of HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, t ...
George Osborne George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born 23 May 1971) is a British retired politician and newspaper editor who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016 and as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016 in the Cameron government. A ...
to agree to produce ''The Force Awakens'' in the UK. Osborne committed £25 million of public money towards the film, claiming it was a boost for British culture and its film industry. According to production company account filings in the United Kingdom, ''The Force Awakens'' ultimately received a total of £31.6 million ($47.4 million) from the government. Beginning in September 2013, production spaces at the
Bad Robot Bad Robot is an American film and television production company founded on May 27, 1999, and led by Katie McGrath and J. J. Abrams as Co-CEO. Under its Bad Robot Productions division, the company is responsible for the television series '' Alia ...
facility were converted for shooting of ''The Force Awakens'' for the benefit of shooting a minor portion of the film in the United States. The film's costume designer was Michael Kaplan, who had previously worked with Abrams on the films ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' (2009) and ''
Star Trek Into Darkness ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' is a 2013 American science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. It is the 12th installment in the ''Star Trek'' franchise ...
'' (2013). Film editors
Mary Jo Markey Mary Jo Markey is an American television and film editor. Markey has been elected to membership of the American Cinema Editors society. She is a frequent collaborator with J. J. Abrams. Career Markey has edited several mainstream films includin ...
and
Maryann Brandon Maryann Brandon ''A.C.E''., is an American television and film editor. She is a frequent collaborator with J. J. Abrams. Brandon earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her editing work on the popular television series '' Alias'', created ...
, long-term collaborators with Abrams, were also signed. In August 2013, it was announced that
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
Daniel Mindel would be shooting the film on 35 mm film (specifically
Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...
5219). In October 2013, other crew members were confirmed, including sound designer
Ben Burtt Benjamin Burtt Jr. (born July 12, 1948) is an American sound designer, film director, film editor, screenwriter, and voice actor. As a sound designer, his credits include the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' film series, '' Invasion of the ...
, director of photography Mindel, production designers
Rick Carter Rick Carter (born 1952, Los Angeles, California) is an American production designer and art director. He is best known for his collaborations with directors Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis, particularly on the films ''Back to the Future Pa ...
and Darren Gilford, costume designer Michael Kaplan, special effects supervisor
Chris Corbould Christopher Charles Corbould, (; born 1958) is a British special effects coordinator best known for his work on major blockbuster films and the action scenes on 15 ''James Bond'' films since '' The Spy Who Loved Me''. He has also worked exten ...
, re-recording mixer
Gary Rydstrom Gary Roger Rydstrom (born June 29, 1959) is an American sound designer and film director. He has been nominated for twenty Academy Awards for his work in sound for movies, and has won seven times. Life and career Rydstrom was born in Chicago. H ...
, supervising sound editor Matthew Wood, visual effects supervisors Roger Guyett, and executive producer Jason McGatlin.


Casting

Open auditions were held in the United Kingdom and the United States in November 2013 for the roles of "Rachel" and "Thomas". Casting began in earnest in January 2014, because of changes to the script by Kasdan and Abrams. Screen tests with actors continued until at least three weeks before the official announcement in April 2014, with final casting decisions made only a few weeks earlier. Actors testing had strict nondisclosure agreements, preventing them, their agents or their publicists from commenting on their involvement. Though Lucas intimated that previous cast members
Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the Star Wars original trilogy, original ''Star Wars'' films (1977–1983) and reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The F ...
,
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
, and
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
would return for the new film as early as March 2013, their casting was not confirmed until over a year later. Fisher returned as she was impressed with the pitch of the new trilogy. Abrams set out to have a more diverse cast than previous installments. A very early report claimed the studio wanted
Ryan Gosling Ryan Thomas Gosling ( ; born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a ...
,
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
and
Zac Efron Zachary David Alexander Efron (; born October 18, 1987) is an American actor. Efron began acting professionally in the early 2000s and rose to prominence as a teen idol for his leading role as Troy Bolton in the ''High School Musical'' film ...
for roles. In September 2013,
Michael B. Jordan Michael Bakari Jordan ( ; born February 9, 1987) is an American actor, producer and director. He is best known for his film roles in '' Fruitvale Station'' (2013), ''Creed'' (2015), ''Black Panther'' (2018), '' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' ...
,
Saoirse Ronan Saoirse Una Ronan ( ; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, with nominations for four Academy Awards and sev ...
, and
David Oyelowo David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo ( ; ; born 1 April 1976) is a British actor, director and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awar ...
were among the first to meet with the director. In January 2014, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' revealed
Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Benedict Cumberbatch, various accolades, including a BAFTA TV Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurenc ...
, Jack O'Connell,
Chiwetel Ejiofor Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor ( ; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emm ...
,
Alex Pettyfer Alexander Richard Pettyfer (born 10 April 1990) is an English actor and model. He appeared in school plays and on television before being cast as Alex Rider, the main character in the 2006 film version of '' Stormbreaker''. Pettyfer was nominat ...
,
Jesse Plemons Jesse Plemons (; born April 2, 1988) is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor and achieved a breakthrough with his role as Landry Clarke in the NBC drama series '' Friday Night Lights'' (2006–2011). He subsequently portra ...
,
Sullivan Stapleton Sullivan Stapleton (born 14 June 1977) is an Australian actor who is best known for his roles in the television series ''The Secret Life of Us'', '' Strike Back'' and '' Animal Kingdom''. He also starred in the NBC crime drama '' Blindspot''. S ...
,
Tye Sheridan Tye Kayle Sheridan (born November 11, 1996) is an American actor. He made his feature film debut in Terrence Malick's experimental drama film ''The Tree of Life (film), The Tree of Life'' (2011) and had his first leading role in Jeff Nichols's ...
,
Hugo Weaving Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is a British actor. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA) and has been recognised as an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia. Born in Colonia ...
,
Michael Fassbender Michael Fassbender (; born 2 April 1977) is a German-Irish actor. His accolades include nominations for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. In 2020, he was listed at number nine on ''The Irish Ti ...
, and
Adam Driver Adam Douglas Driver (born November 19, 1983) is an American actor, recognized for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers. Driver made his film debut in ''J. Edgar'' (2011) and played supporting roles in ''Lincoln (film), Lincoln'' (2012), '' ...
all met with Abrams for the film. The role Sheridan met for was ultimately rewritten to be played by a 40 year old actor, while Weaving was in talks for an "Imperial commander". Ronan, Jordan, Frida Gustavsson, and later
Miles Teller Miles Teller (born February 20, 1987) is an American actor. He made his feature film debut with the independent drama '' Rabbit Hole'' (2010), and gained wider recognition for his roles in the coming-of-age film ''The Spectacular Now'' (2013) a ...
would go on to confirm their auditions for the film. Industry publications speculated that Plemons could possibly be playing Luke Skywalker's son. In February, Driver was in final negotiations for an unnamed villain, while
Gary Oldman Sir Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Gary Oldman, various accolades, including an Academ ...
revealed he was approached for an undisclosed role. Driver was initially hesitant to take on the role of Kylo Ren as he was "leery on big movies" and felt characters get sacrificed to speculate, but the character's complicated nature led him to take it. In March,
John Boyega John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega (born 17 March 1992), known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first gained recognition in Britain for his role as a teenage gang leader in the comedy horror film ''Attack the B ...
, Plemons, Ray Fisher,
Matthew James Thomas Matthew James Elwyn Thomas (born 3 March 1988), also occasionally credited as Matthew Thomas, is a British actor who has made appearances in television, film, and theater. He is known for his television roles including '' The Lost Prince'', and ...
and
Ed Speleers Edward John Speleers (born 7 April 1988) is an English actor. He is best known for playing the Eragon (character), title role in the 2006 film ''Eragon (film), Eragon'', antagonist Stephen Bonnet in the TV series ''Outlander (TV series), Outlande ...
were Abrams' top choice for the lead role. Boyega began talks after dropping out of the
Jesse Owens James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who made history at the Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics, 1936 Olympic Games by becoming the first person to win four gold meda ...
biopic '' Race''. That same month,
Lupita Nyong'o Lupita Amondi Nyong'o ( , , ; born 1 March 1983) is an actress who has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, a ...
was said to have met also met with Abrams for the female lead. In April 2014, Plemons and Thomas were no longer in contention for the film. That same month,
Maisie Richardson-Sellers Maisie Richardson-Sellers is a British actress and director. She first gained recognition for her role as Rebekah Mikaelson / Eva Sinclair on The CW series '' The Originals''. She has since gained wider recognition for her starring roles as Kat ...
, an "unknown Oxford actress", and
Dev Patel Dev Patel (; born 23 April 1990) is an English actor and filmmaker. List of awards and nominations received by Dev Patel, His accolades include a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and two Golden Globe A ...
were up for unknown roles. Ronan, Richardson-Sellers, Courtney Eaton, Eiza Gonzalez,
Elizabeth Olsen Elizabeth Chase Olsen (born February 16, 1989) is an American actress. She gained worldwide recognition for her portrayal of Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe media franchise, including in '' Avengers: Age of Ult ...
and
Jessica Henwick Jessica Yu-Li Henwick ( ;) is a British actress, writer, and director. She began her career in 2010 and is best known for her roles in ''Game of Thrones'' (2015–17), '' Iron Fist'' (2017–18), '' Love and Monsters'' (2020), ''Underwater (film ...
auditioned for Rey.
Joseph David-Jones Joseph David-Jones (born December 22, 1993) is an American actor, known for his roles in ''Nashville'' and ''Arrow''. Early life and career David-Jones was born in 1993, in Los Angeles, and grew up in Florence, Kentucky. He earned a full scho ...
,
Tom Holland Thomas Stanley Holland (born 1 June 1996) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Award, he featured on the ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 Europe list of 2019. Some publications have called him one of the most ...
, and Daryl McCormack were later reported to have auditioned for Finn while McCormack made it to the final round of auditions for the part.
Eddie Redmayne Edward John David Redmayne OBE (; born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Olivier Awards. Redmayne began his professional ac ...
and
Joel Kinnaman Charles Joel Nordström Kinnaman (; born 25 November 1979) is a Swedish-American actor. He first gained recognition for his roles in the 2010 Swedish film '' Easy Money'' and the ''Johan Falk'' crime series. Kinnaman is known internationally fo ...
tested for Kylo Ren.
Daisy Ridley Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley (born 10 April 1992) is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy. She appeared in the mystery film ''Murder on the Orient Express'' (2017), played the title ...
was cast by February 2014, and by the end of that month a deal had been worked out with Driver, who was able to work around his ''
Girls A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. While the term ''girl'' has other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.com, "Girl"'' Retrieved January 2, 2008. ''daughter'' or ''girlfriend'' regardless of age, ...
'' schedule. Talks with
Andy Serkis Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his motion capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Gollum in ''The Lo ...
and
Oscar Isaac Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is an American actor. Recognized for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino characters in Cinema of the United States, H ...
began by March and continued into April.
Denis Lawson Denis Stamper Lawson (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Wedge Antilles in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983) and as John Jarndyce in the television miniseries ''Bleak House'' (2005), the l ...
, who played
Wedge Antilles Wedge Antilles is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a supporting character portrayed by Denis Lawson in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, and voiced by David Ankrum in '' Episode IV – A New Hope'' (1977) and '' R ...
in the original trilogy, declined to reprise his role, saying it would have "bored" him. In April, Ridley, Boyega, Isaac, Driver, Serkis,
Domhnall Gleeson Domhnall Gleeson (; born 12 May 1983) is an Irish actor and screenwriter. The son of actor Brendan Gleeson, he studied media arts at the Dublin Institute of Technology. He began his career by directing and writing several short films, and garne ...
, and
Max von Sydow Max von Sydow (; born Carl Adolf von Sydow; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish and French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television ...
were announced as part of the cast; while Ford, Hamill, Fisher,
Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 11 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
,
Peter Mayhew Peter William Mayhew (19 May 1944 – 30 April 2019) was a British-American actor. He was best known for portraying Chewbacca in the ''Star Wars'' film series. He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 origi ...
, and Baker reprised their roles from the original trilogy. Boyega said that he got the role of Finn after
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and film producer. Regarded as a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood icon, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Tom Cruise, various accolades, includ ...
introduced him to Abrams. In June, cast additions Lupita Nyong'o and
Gwendoline Christie Gwendoline Christie (born 28 October 1978) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Brienne of Tarth in the HBO fantasy-drama series ''Game of Thrones'' (2012–2019), and the First Order (Star Wars), First Order Stormtrooper (Star War ...
were announced. To prepare for his role, Hamill was assigned a personal trainer and a nutritionist at the request of the producers, who wanted him to resemble an older Luke. Fisher was also assigned a personal trainer and a nutritionist, but she refused to lose weight. Abrams initially considered using Daniels only in a voice role for C-3PO, but Daniels opted to reprise the role physically as well; the production team built a new C-3PO costume to accommodate him. A flashback scene was cut from Rey's vision (following her discovery of Luke's lightsaber), which would have featured Robert Boulter standing in for Luke as he appeared in his duel with Vader in ''The Empire Strikes Back''. In May, Abrams announced a donation contest for
UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
from the ''Star Wars'' set in Abu Dhabi; the winner was allowed to visit the set, meet members of the cast and appear in the film. In October, Warwick Davis, who played
Wicket In the sport of cricket, the term wicket has several meanings: * It is either of the two sets of three Stump (cricket), stumps and two Bail (cricket), bails at each end of the Cricket pitch, pitch. The Fielding (cricket), fielding team's playe ...
in ''Return of the Jedi'', as well as Wald and Weazle in ''
The Phantom Menace ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' (1999), announced that he would appear in ''The Force Awakens'', but did not reveal his role. In November,
Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...
confirmed that her granddaughter (Fisher's daughter),
Billie Lourd Billie Catherine Lourd (born July 17, 1992) is an American actress, best known for starring as Chanel #3 in the Fox horror comedy series '' Scream Queens'' (2015–2016) and for her roles in the FX horror anthology series ''American Horror St ...
, was in the film. Lourd first auditioned for the role of Rey prior to her casting.


Filming

In February 2014, Abrams said filming would begin in May and last about three months. The official announcement came in March, when Disney and Lucasfilm announced that
principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
would commence in May and be based at Pinewood Studios in
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
, England. That month, it was revealed that pre-production filming would take place in Iceland prior to the start of official filming in May, consisting of landscape shots that would be used for scenery in the film. In April, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn confirmed that filming had begun, filming in secret in the United Arab Emirates around
Liwa Oasis The Liwa Oasis () is a large oasis area in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. Geography Liwa Oasis is about south of the Persian Gulf coast and southwest of the city of Abu Dhabi, on the northern e ...
, part of the
emirate of Abu Dhabi The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of seven Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates. It is the largest emirate, accounting for 87% of the nation's total land area or . Abu Dhabi also has the second ...
, by a second unit. Later that month, it was revealed that in addition to 35 mm film, segments of the film were being shot in the 65 mm
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of High-definition video, high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and movie theater, theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (image), aspect ratio (approximately ei ...
format. In July, Bad Robot reported that the film would be at least partially shot on IMAX cameras. Principal photography began in Abu Dhabi on May 16, 2014. The budget was initially estimated to be between $259 million and $306 million, but in 2023 financial accounts revealed the gross spend was $533 million and the net cost after tax breaks was $447 million. Abrams and the cast members went to Abu Dhabi in early May, where large sets were built on location—including a shuttle-like spacecraft, a large tower, and a big market—and where explosives were used to create a "blast crater". Cast members were spotted practicing driving vehicles that would be used during filming. Production moved to Pinewood Studios in June. That same month, Harrison Ford fractured his leg while filming at Pinewood after a hydraulic door on the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the film ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back' ...
'' set fell on him, and was taken to a hospital. According to Abrams, Ford's ankle "went to a 90-degree angle". Production was suspended for two weeks because of Ford's injury. Ford's son Ben said the ankle would likely need a plate and screws and that filming could be altered slightly, with the crew needing to shoot Ford from the waist up for a short time until he recovered. A month later,
Jake Steinfeld Jake Steinfeld (born February 21, 1958) is an American actor, fitness personality, entrepreneur, and producer, known for his Body by Jake brand. He is the uncle of actress/singer Hailee Steinfeld. Early life Born in the Sea Gate neighborhood o ...
, Ford's personal trainer, said Ford was recovering rapidly. Abrams also suffered a fractured vertebra in his back when he was trying to help lift the door after Ford's accident, but he kept this to himself for over a month. In February 2016, it was reported that the
Health and Safety Executive The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a British public body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare. It has additionally adopted a research role into occupational risks in Great B ...
brought four criminal charges against Disney subsidiary Foodles Production (UK), Ltd. for alleged
health and safety Occupational safety and health (OSH) or occupational health and safety (OHS) is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at work (i.e., while performing duties required by one's occupation). OSH is re ...
breaches relating to Ford's accident. Foodles Production (UK) Ltd was subsequently fined $1.95 million in October 2016 for two health and safety breaches, after admitting the counts at an earlier hearing. On July 28, 2014, filming took place over three days at
Skellig Michael Skellig Michael ( ), also called Great Skellig ( ), is a twin-pinnacled crag west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael, with "Skellig" derived from the Irish language word , meaning ...
, an island off the coast of
County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
, Ireland, with a cast including Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley. Landscape shots for the planet Takodana were shot in July in the Lake District in the northwest of England. Production was halted for two weeks in early August 2014 so Abrams could rework shooting in Ford's absence and resumed with a fully healed Ford in mid-August. In September, the former
RAF Greenham Common Royal Air Force Greenham Common or more simply RAF Greenham Common is a former Royal Air Force List of former Royal Air Force stations, station in the civil parishes of Greenham and Thatcham in the England, English county of Berkshire. The airfi ...
military base in
Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...
was used and featured set constructions of several spaceships.
Puzzlewood Puzzlewood () is an ancient woodland site and tourist attraction, near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The site, covering , shows evidence of open-cast iron ore mining dating from the Roman period, and possibly e ...
in the Forest of Dean Gloucestershire England was used for some scenes. Principal photography ended on November 3, 2014.


Post-production

Kennedy said ''The Force Awakens'' would use real locations and models over
computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is a specific-technology or application of computer graphics for creating or improving images in Digital art, art, Publishing, printed media, Training simulation, simulators, videos and video games. These images ...
. Johnson reiterated that Abrams would use little CGI and more practical, traditional special effects, saying: "I think people are coming back around to ractical effects It feels like there is sort of that gravity pulling us back toward it. I think that more and more people are hitting kind of a critical mass in terms of the CG-driven action scene lending itself to a very specific type of action scene, where physics go out the window and it becomes so big so quick." Abrams' intention in prioritizing practical special effects was to recreate the visual realism and authenticity of the original ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
''. To that end, the droid BB-8 was a physical prop developed by Disney Research, created by special effects artist
Neal Scanlan Neal Scanlan (born 1961) is a British special effects artist and make-up artist, best known for his work on the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy and standalone films. He won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for '' Babe'' in 1996. Selecte ...
and operated live on set with the actors. The Holochess sequence was created using stop-motion, which was supervised by
Tippett Studio Tippett Studio is an American visual effects and computer animation company specializing in computer graphics (CG) for films and television commercials. The studio has created visual effects and animations on over fifty feature films and commerci ...
and overseen by
Phil Tippett Phil Tippett (born September 27, 1951) is an American film director and visual effects supervisor and producer, who specializes in creature design, stop-motion and computerized character animation. Over his career, he has assisted ILM and Drea ...
, who also worked on the stop-motion sequence in the original ''Star Wars'' film. In February 2014,
Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Film, motion picture visual effects, computer animation and stereo conversion digital studio founded by George Lucas on May 26, 1975. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lu ...
(ILM) announced plans to open a facility in London, citing Disney's ''Star Wars'' films as a catalyst for the expansion. ILM's Vancouver branch also worked on the special effects for the film. Abrams supervised
post-production Post-production, also known simply as post, is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording indivi ...
and editing of the film at Bad Robot's headquarters in Santa Monica. In August 2015, he gave the film's estimated running time of 124 minutes. Abrams made changes to the film's plot in the editing process to simplify the film, by removing some sequences shown in trailers: "At one point, Maz used to continue along with the characters back to the Resistance base, but we realised that she really had nothing to do there of value ..So we ended up leaving those things out." The final cut of the film runs for 138 minutes. On November 6, 2014, the film's title was announced as ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. In December 2015, Pablo Hidalgo, the creative executive at the Lucasfilm Story Group which handles all the canonical continuity for the ''Star Wars'' universe, revealed that the working title for the film was ''Shadow of the Empire'' "for the longest time".


Music

In July 2013,
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
was confirmed to return to compose the sequel trilogy, beginning with ''The Force Awakens''. He began working on the film in December 2014, and by June 2015 had been through most of the film reels, working on a daily basis. In May 2015, Williams said he would return to themes from the previous films, such as those for Luke, Leia, and Han, in ways that "there are a few that I think are important and will seem very much a part of the fabric of the piece in a positive and constructive way." He said that working with Abrams was similar to the process he went through with Lucas in the earlier films. Recording sessions for ''The Force Awakens'' began in June 2015 at the
Sony Pictures Studios Sony Pictures Studios is an American television and film studio complex located in Culver City, California, at 10202 West Washington Boulevard and bounded by Culver Boulevard (south), Washington Boulevard (north), Overland Avenue (west) and ...
' Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage in
Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights to the ea ...
, with William Ross conducting most of the music. The first day of recording was June 1, 2015. Williams attended the sessions and conducted the remainder of the recordings in Los Angeles. The score was recorded in 12 sessions within a five-month period between June and mid-November. The 90-piece orchestra recorded 175 minutes of music; however, Abrams re-edited the film, which discarded, modified, or re-recorded the score's part for nearly an hour. Williams' theme for Snoke was recorded by a 24-voice men's chorus.
Gustavo Dudamel Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez (born 26 January 1981) is a Venezuelan conductor. He is currently the music director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is scheduled to become the Music and Artistic ...
conducted the opening and end title music for the film at Williams' behest. Recording of the score was completed on November 14, 2015. The film's soundtrack was released by
Walt Disney Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label owned by the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from the Walt Disney Company's Walt Disney Studios (division), motion picture studios, television shows, Disney Experiences, them ...
on December 18, 2015. Williams' score is more than two hours long.
Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals '' In the Heights'' and ''Hamilton'', and the soundtracks for the animated films '' Moana' ...
and Abrams contributed music to the film's cantina scene. Abrams met Miranda at a performance of his Broadway musical ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
'', where Miranda jokingly offered to compose cantina music, should it be needed. Unknown to Miranda, Williams had previously told Abrams that he did not want to compose the music for that scene, wanting to focus on the orchestral score. Abrams then contacted Miranda, and the two collaborated on the music for the scene over a period of two months.


Marketing


Promotion

Disney backed ''The Force Awakens'' with extensive marketing campaigns. ''
Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...
'' estimated the media value was $175 million; its costs alongside home media revenues had later risen to $423 million by ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''. On November 28, 2014, Lucasfilm released an 88-second
teaser trailer A teaser trailer, also shortened to teaser, is a short trailer (promotion), trailer and a form of teaser campaign advertising that focuses on film and television programming. It is a videography pre-release film or television show advertisement. Sh ...
. It was screened in selected cinemas across the United States and Canada and in theaters worldwide in December 2014. It was also released on YouTube and the iTunes Store, generating 58.2 million views on YouTube in its first week. Critics compared the brief footage favorably to the production values of the original trilogy. ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' called the trailer "perfectly potent nostalgia", praising its mix of old and new. ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' was impressed by the continuity with the first films—"the ''feel'' of classic ''Star Wars''"—but noted the absence of Hamill, Ford, and Fisher and speculated about the significance of the new characters. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' wrote that the use of the ''Star Wars'' fanfare by John Williams reinforced
brand loyalty In marketing and consumer behaviour, brand loyalty describes a consumer's persistent positive feelings towards a familiar brand and their dedication to purchasing the brand's products and/or services repeatedly regardless of deficiencies, a ...
among fans. On December 11, 2014, Abrams and Kennedy released a series of eight mock
Topps The Topps Company, Inc. is an American company that manufactures trading cards and other collectibles. Formerly based in New York City, Topps is best known as a leading producer of Baseball card, baseball and other sports and Non-sports tradi ...
trading cards A trading card (or collectible card) is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing (fictional or real) and a short description of the picture, along with other t ...
revealing the names of several characters. On April 16, 2015, a second teaser trailer, this one lasting two minutes, was shown at the opening panel at the ''Star Wars'' Celebration in
Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said the reaction to the trailer was "staggering ..the entire room of almost eight thousand people just leapt to their feet and roared, I mean I can't think of anything I've ever been to—other than a rock concert—that felt quite like that". The trailer was viewed over 88million times within the first 24 hours of release. The trailer shows many of the new characters and the first footage of Chewbacca and Han Solo. ''
The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
''s Graham Milne wrote that the trailer "was an affirmation of something that we'd long been told was never going to happen. This was a gift. This was faith rewarded. About damn time." '' Vanity Fair'' was the first magazine to release an exclusive cover issue devoted to ''The Force Awakens''. The magazine, released on May 7, 2015, featured exclusive interviews and photos of the cast photographed by
Annie Leibovitz Anna-Lou Leibovitz ( ; born October 2, 1949) is an American Portrait photography, portrait photographer best known for her portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. Leibovitz's Polaroid ...
. At the 2015
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con is a comic book convention and multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. Founded in 1970, originally showcasing primarily comic books and science fiction/fant ...
, in addition to a panel with many of the actors, a behind-the-scenes look at the film demonstrated the film's use of practical sets and effects. It was positively received, with Nigel M. Smith of ''The Guardian'' writing: "The featurette's angle is a strong one and connects with fans of the original trilogy in an incredibly poignant way. It also does a sly job of teasing Fisher's new look as Leia and Simon Pegg's mysterious involvement as a rumored alien in the movie, without actually showing the actors in action." Smith compared the marketing strategy for the film to that of a previous Abrams film, ''
Super 8 Super 8 or Super Eight may refer to: Film * Super 8 film, a motion picture film format released in 1965 * Super 8 film camera, a motion picture camera used to film Super 8mm motion picture format * ''Super 8'' (2011 film), a science-fiction f ...
'', saying "the promos ..are notable for what they tease, not what they give away." Walt Disney Studios and Lucasfilm presented a look at ''The Force Awakens'' at Disney's
D23 Expo D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, also known as Disney D23 or simply D23, is the official fan club for The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 2009, the organization is known mainly for its biennial exposition event, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Eve ...
in August 2015.
Drew Struzan Drew Struzan (; born March 18, 1947) is an American retired artist, illustrator and cover designer. He is known for his more than 150 movie posters, which include ''The Shawshank Redemption'', ''Blade Runner'', ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', as ...
—who designed the poster artwork for the previous ''Star Wars'' films—produced a commemorative poster given to the event's attendees. In October 2015, Lucasfilm unveiled the theatrical release poster and a third trailer. The poster omitted Luke Skywalker and revealed a Death Star-like "orb". The trailer debuted during the halftime break of ''
Monday Night Football ''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
'', before being released online. The reaction to the trailer by fans on social media was "frenzied", with Lizo Mzimba of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
writing that "perhaps the most significant thing about the final trailer before the film's release is how little of the story it reveals." Robbie Collin of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' felt the trailer was "a perfect blend of old and new, in keeping with the old-fashioned ''Star Wars'' aesthetic". The trailer received 128million views in 24 hours. 16 million of the views came from its airing on ''Monday Night Football''. At the end of October,
Air France Air France (; legally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France, and is headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. The airline is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and is one of the founding members ...
announced a "Flight and Cinema" package, providing customers who book select flights to Paris transportation to a theater to see the film, since France was one of the first countries to release the film. On November 23, a partnership with
Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
was announced, in which Google users could choose to affiliate themselves with either the Dark or Light Side, which would change the appearance of their Google websites. Additionally, Disney teamed up with
Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
to create a virtual-reality experience for
Google Cardboard Google Cardboard is a discontinued virtual reality (VR) platform developed by Google. Named for its fold-out cardboard viewer into which a smartphone is inserted, the platform was intended as a low-cost system to encourage interest and developm ...
. On December 17, 2015, select theaters across the United States and Canada aired a ''Star Wars'' marathon, airing the six previous ''Star Wars'' episode films in 2D, followed by ''The Force Awakens'' in 3D. Attendees received a special lanyard featuring exclusive marathon art.


Tie-in literature and merchandise

Disney Publishing Worldwide Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW), formerly known as The Disney Publishing Group and Buena Vista Publishing Group, is the publishing subsidiary of Disney Experiences, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its imprints include Disney Edition ...
and Lucasfilm announced a series of at least 20 books and comics, " Journey to ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens''", which were released by multiple publishers starting in late 2015, prior to the film's premiere. The series includes books by Del Rey and Disney-Lucasfilm publishers and comic books from
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
. All titles under the program are canonical to the ''Star Wars'' universe.
Alan Dean Foster Alan Dean Foster (born November 18, 1946) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction. He has written several book series, more than 20 standalone novels, and many novelizations of film scripts. Career ''Star Wars'' Foster was the ghost ...
wrote
a novelization A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient G ...
of ''The Force Awakens'' which was released in e-book form on December 18. In an effort to avoid revealing plot details before the film's release, the print release of the novelization was delayed until January 2016. Marvel Comics published a six-issue comic book adaptation of ''The Force Awakens'' between June and November 2016.
Disney Consumer Products Disney Consumer Products, Inc. is the retailing and licensing subsidiary of the Disney Experiences segment of The Walt Disney Company. Previously, Consumer Products was a segment of Disney until 2016, then a unit of Disney Consumer Products and I ...
and Lucasfilm announced that September 4, 2015 would be deemed "Force Friday" and would be the official launch of all the merchandise for ''The Force Awakens''. Beginning at 12:01 am, fans could buy toys, books, clothing and various other products at
Disney Store The Disney Store is a chain of specialty stores created on March 28, 1987, and sells only Disney-related items, many of them exclusive, under its own name and Disney Outlet. It is a business unit of the Disney Experiences division of The Walt Disn ...
s and other retailers throughout the world. Disney and
Maker Studios Maker(s) or The Maker(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Maker'' (film), a 1997 American drama film * Maker Studios, now part of Disney Digital Network, an American multi-channel TV network *''Makers'', a 2014 British documentary seri ...
hosted an 18-hour live-streaming presentation on YouTube, showcasing multiple merchandise products beginning on September 3, 2015. Among these products were a remote-controlled BB-8 developed by
Sphero Sphero, Inc. (formerly Orbotix) is an American consumer robotics and toy company based in Boulder, Colorado. Their first product, the Sphero, is a white spherical robot launched in December 2011 capable of rolling around under the control of a s ...
. Sphero had participated in a Disney-run startup accelerator in July 2014, where they were invited into a private meeting with Disney CEO Bob Iger, in which they were shown on-set photos and imagery of BB-8 before its public unveiling. Many retailers, such as
Toys "R" Us Toys "R" Us is an American toy, clothing, and baby product retailer owned by Tru Kids (doing business as Tru Kids Brands) and various others. The company was founded in 1948 in Washington, D.C.; its first store was built in April 1948, with i ...
, were unable to meet demand for ''Star Wars'' products due to the event.


Video games

Select characters, scenes and locations from the film became part of other ''Star Wars'' video games: Characters from the film were added to an update to the
mobile game A mobile game is a video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any Mobile device, portable device, including from mobile phone (feature phone or smartphone), tablet computer, table ...
'' Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes'', available for
iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
and Android and released by
Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by former Apple Inc., Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry ...
; free
downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
for Electronic Arts' '' Star Wars Battlefront''
reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
allowed players to battle on the planet Jakku; an update to the mobile game '' Star Wars Commander'', released by
Disney Mobile Disney Mobile is an American division of Disney Consumer Products, which is in itself a division of The Walt Disney Company, that designs mobile games and apps, content and services. History In August 2000, Disney Interactive, Walt Disney Interne ...
for iOS, Android and the
Windows Store The Microsoft Store (formerly known as the Windows Store) is a digital distribution platform operated by Microsoft. It was created as an app store for Windows 8 as the primary means of distributing Universal Windows Platform apps. With ...
, allowed players to battle on the planet Takodana during the Galactic Civil War era; and a condensed version of the film's plot becomes an add-on "playset" in the
toys-to-life Toys-to-life is a video game feature using physical figurines or action figures to interact within the game. There are several technologies used to make physical figurines appear in game such as image recognition, quick response (QR) codes, Blue ...
game '' Disney Infinity 3.0'', with Finn, Rey, Poe Dameron, and Kylo Ren as playable characters. Eventually, the film got a full
Lego Lego (, ; ; stylised as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Lego consists of variously coloured interlocking plastic bricks made of acrylonitri ...
video game adaptation, titled '' Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', which was released by
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Warner Bros. Games (formerly Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) is an American video game publisher based in Burbank, California. The publisher was founded as a division of Warner Bros. on January 14, 2004, as well as the WB Games brand. ...
on June 28, 2016.


Release


Theatrical

''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' premiered on December 14, 2015, at the
TCL Chinese Theatre Grauman's Chinese Theatre, known as the Chinese colloquially and officially billed as TCL Chinese Theatre for sponsorship reasons, is a movie palace on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United S ...
,
El Capitan Theatre El Capitan Theatre is a fully restored movie palace at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States. The theater and adjacent Hollywood Masonic Temple (now known as the El Capitan Entert ...
, and
Dolby Theatre The Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) is a live-performance auditorium in the Ovation Hollywood shopping mall and entertainment complex, on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue (Los Angeles), Highland Avenue, in the Holly ...
in
Hollywood, Los Angeles Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...
. A white tent stretched along
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...
from Orange Drive to
Highland Avenue Highland Avenue may refer to: Historic districts *Highland Avenue Historic District (Birmingham, Alabama), listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Birmingham, Alabama *Highland Avenue Historic District (Lexington, Missouri), liste ...
, covering the "massive" premiere event that hosted more than five thousand guests. The film was originally scheduled for a mid-2015 release, but in November 2013, it was pushed back to December 18, 2015. It was also released in 3D,
RealD 3D RealD 3D is a digital stereoscopic projection technology made and sold by RealD. It is currently the most widely used technology for watching 3D films in theaters. Worldwide, RealD 3D is installed in more than 26,500 auditoriums by approximatel ...
and
IMAX 3D IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating, with ...
formats. In the United States and Canada, it had the widest release of December across 4,134 theaters, of which 3,300 were 3D locations, a record 392 IMAX screens (13 of which were
70mm 70 mm film (or 65 mm film) is a wide high-resolution film gauge for motion picture photography, with a negative area nearly 3.5 times as large as the standard 35 mm motion picture film format. As used in cameras, the film is wid ...
), 451 premium large format screens, 146
D-Box D-BOX Technologies Inc. (informally known simply as DBOX) is a publicly traded haptic motion technology company based in Longueuil, Quebec. The company designs and manufactures motion and haptic systems for entertainment, simulation, and training ...
locations, as well as releasing in the
Dolby Vision Dolby Vision is a set of technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories for high dynamic range (HDR) video. It covers content creation, distribution, and playback. It includes dynamic metadata that define the aspect ratio and adjust the picture ...
format ( high-dynamic range,
Rec. 2020 ITU-R Recommendation BT.2020, more commonly known by the abbreviations Rec. 2020 or BT.2020, defines various aspects of ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) with standard dynamic range (SDR) and wide color gamut (WCG), including pictur ...
color) in
Dolby Cinema Dolby Cinema is a type of premium large format movie theater created by Dolby Laboratories that combines Dolby proprietary technologies such as Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, as well as other signature entrance and intrinsic design features. Th ...
. Worldwide, it was released across 940 IMAX theaters, a new record. On December 18, 2015, the film began playing on every IMAX screen in the United States and Canada for four straight weeks up to January 14, 2016. This made it the first film since
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
' ''The Hobbit'' trilogy to receive such a release. The film finally shed some of its IMAX screens with the release of '' The Revenant'' (2015) and '' The Finest Hours'' (2016) in mid-January 2016. Advance ticket sales for the film began on October 19, 2015, and were in strong demand, resulting in online movie ticket sites crashing.
Vue Cinemas Vue International ( , like "view"), is a multinational cinema holding company headquartered in London, England, and registered in St Helier, Jersey. It operates in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark as Vue, with international operations in ...
, the United Kingdom's third-largest theater chain, sold 45,000 tickets in 24 hours, 10,000 of which were sold in 90 minutes, a record for the theater. In the United States, the film pre-sold a record-breaking $6.5 million worth of IMAX ticket sales on a single day. IMAX has never previously registered more than $1 million in pre-sales on a single day. In total, it sold over $50 million in pre-sales, breaking the record. This number was raised to $100 million including $50–60 million in advance ticket sales by December 14. However, not all tickets that were pre-sold were for the film's opening weekend, with
Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...
President Paul Yanover saying "people have set aside tickets for screenings in January, weeks after the big opening ..We have people buying ''Star Wars'' 'The Force Awakens''into 2016. It's not just an opening-weekend phenomenon." Similarly, the film broke pre-sales records in the UK, Canada, and Germany. ''The Force Awakens'' is the first live-action ''Star Wars'' film not to be released theatrically by
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
; accordingly the film is not introduced with either that company's logo, or its signature fanfare composed by
Alfred Newman Alfred Newman (March 17, 1900 – February 17, 1970) was an American composer, arranger, and conductor of film music. From his start as a music prodigy, he came to be regarded as a respected figure in the history of film music. He won nine Acad ...
. Instead, the film is the first in the series to be distributed by
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American film distributor within the Disney Entertainment division of the Walt Disney Company. It handles theatrical and occasional digital distribution, marketing, and promotion for films produced and ...
, and the film is presented with only Lucasfilm's
production logo A production logo, studio logo, vanity card, vanity plate, or vanity logo is a logo used by Film studio, movie studios and television production company, production companies to brand what they produce and to determine the production company an ...
shown silently before the main titles. Disney chairman Bob Iger explained that the decision not to place Disney branding on the film was "for the fans". A poster from
mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...
was criticized for being racist due to shrinking the size of the
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
character Finn compared to non-Chinese posters.


Home media

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. (doing business as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) is the home entertainment distribution arm of the Walt Disney Company. The division handles the distribution of Disney's films, television series, a ...
released ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' through digital download and Disney Movies Anywhere on April 1, 2016, and on
Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
and
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
on April 5. Physical copies include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, interviews, and additional footage with eight bonus features. In its first week, ''The Force Awakens'' sold 669,318 DVDs and 3.4million Blu-rays as the most sold film on both formats in the United States. That same week, ''The Force Awakens'' topped the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks overall disc sales, as well as the dedicated Blu-ray sales chart with 83% of unit sales coming from Blu-ray. Overall, ''The Force Awakens'' sold 2.1million DVDs and 5.9million Blu-rays, adding them up to get a total of 8million copies, and made $191million through home media releases. A Blu-ray 3D "collector's edition" of the film was released on November 15, including all the features of the original home releases, as well as several new bonus features, including new deleted scenes and audio commentary by director J. J. Abrams. The package includes a Blu-ray 3D, regular Blu-ray, DVD, and
digital copy A digital copy is a commercially distributed computer file containing a media product such as a film or music album. The term contrasts this computer file with the physical copy (typically a DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, or Ultra HD Blu-ray disc) wit ...
of the film, as well as an additional Blu-ray disc for the bonus features. The movie was rereleased on DVD in 2019 as part of the 9-disc "Skywalker Saga" boxed set. It received a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release on March 31, 2020. This 4K release was then included in the 27-disc Skywalker Saga box set on April 20, 2020.


Broadcast syndication

The premium cable network
Starz Starz (stylized in all caps as STARZ; pronounced "stars") is an American pay television network owned by Starz Entertainment, and is the flagship property of Starz Inc. Launched in 1994 as a multiplex service of what is now Starz Encore, ...
had U.S.
broadcast syndication Broadcast syndication is the practice of content owners leasing the right to broadcast their content to other television stations or radio stations, without having an official broadcast network to air it on. It is common in the United States whe ...
rights for ''The Force Awakens'' in January 2016, just before the end of Starz's output deal covering most Disney films through 2015. That September, ''The Force Awakens'' began broadcasting on all Starz networks.


Reception


Box office

''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' grossed $936.7million in the United States and Canada and $1.132billion in other countries for a worldwide total of $2.07billion, making it the highest-grossing film of 2015 and the third highest-grossing film of all time.
Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo is an American website that tracks box-office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. The site was founded in 1998 by Brandon Gray, and was bought in 2008 by IMDb, which itself is owned by Amazon. History Brandon Gray ...
estimates that the film sold close to 110million tickets in the United States and Canada. ''The Force Awakens'' earned 8.6% of the total 2015 releases in the United States and Canada, second only to the 8.8% of the box office earned by ''
Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...
'' in 1997. It was the 24th film in cinematic history to gross $1 billion worldwide, standing as the fastest film to surpass the mark at the time, doing so in 12 days. It was also the third film in history to surpass $2 billion worldwide, doing so on its 53rd day of release. ''Deadline Hollywood'' calculated the film's net profit as $780.1 million, accounting for production budgets, marketing, talent participations, and other costs; box office grosses and home media revenues placed it first on their list of 2015's "Most Valuable Blockbusters".


Commercial analysis

Analysts said that the box office receipts of the film, when compared to predecessors, must be adjusted for inflation, and that the first ''Star Wars'' film made more when this adjustment is made. It has further been observed that each of the first three films in the series was more profitable in calculating revenue against production costs. While ''The Force Awakens'' was very successful in the United States and Canada, the same success was not witnessed in many overseas individual markets such as India, other certain parts of Asia and Latin America. This was attributed to it being "a retro film" and how overseas audiences do not have the same nostalgia or affinity for the film as those in North America. The ''Star Wars'' franchise has traditionally lacked resonance with filmgoers in China, and marketing for ''The Force Awakens'' heavily focused on appealing to that market. Nancy Tartaglione of ''Deadline Hollywood'' argued that, if accounting for its 40/60 domestic to international split, ''The Force Awakens'' did well overseas. While the film had special effects, analysts felt that it lacked the novelty factor; they also stated that its gross was stilted due to markets making way for new films sooner than was previously done. Dergarabedian stated, "No matter what, 'The Force Awakens''is an absolute, all-out blockbuster without peer in terms of the sheer speed at which it has crossed all of these major box-office milestones." Moreover, Mike Fleming Jr. of ''Deadline Hollywood'' argued that the movie was the "most valuable movie" of the year, with "the net profit to Disney was an astounding $780.11M, and the Cash on Cash Return was twice that of any other film eleased in 2016 at 2.00".


United States and Canada

In the United States and Canada, ''The Force Awakens'' was released on December 18, 2015. It made a record-breaking $57 million from Thursday night previews, of which IMAX screenings generated a record-breaking $5.7 million from 391 screens. On its opening day, the film grossed $119.1 million, marking the biggest single- and opening-day record and the first time a film has earned more than $100 million in a single day. Without Thursday-night grosses, the film earned the second-largest opening-day gross and a record of $247.9 million for its opening weekend. The debut was 19% bigger than the previous record holders '' The Avengers'' (2012) ($207 million) and ''
Jurassic World ''Jurassic World'' is a 2015 American science fiction action film directed by Colin Trevorrow, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek Connolly from a story by Jaffa and Silver. It is the first installment in the ...
'' (2015) ($208 million). The opening weekend figure included an IMAX opening-weekend record of $30.1 million (12.65%) from 391 IMAX theaters, which nearly amounts to the $252.5 million total earned by ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
''—the second-lowest-grossing film in the series—in its original run. 2D screenings accounted for 53% of the total opening gross while 3D accounted for 47%.
RealD 3D RealD 3D is a digital stereoscopic projection technology made and sold by RealD. It is currently the most widely used technology for watching 3D films in theaters. Worldwide, RealD 3D is installed in more than 26,500 auditoriums by approximatel ...
comprised $78 million of the opening gross, setting a new record. At that time, the film had the biggest December opening weekend, breaking the previous record held by '' The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'' (2012). It would hold this record until it was surpassed by '' Spider-Man: No Way Home'' (2021) six years later. Revenues in the film's second weekend decreased by only 39.8% in the United States and Canada, earning $149.2 million, to remain in first place at the box office and recording the biggest second weekend of all time. On January 2, after just 16 days of release, it became the second film (following ''Avatar'') to gross over $700 million in the United States and Canada, and on January 6 became the List of highest-grossing films in the United States and Canada, highest-grossing film of all time domestically, doing so in 20 days. On January 9, it became the first film in cinematic history to cross $800 million domestically unadjusted for inflation. On February 5, ''The Force Awakens'' became the first film to earn over $900 million, unadjusted for inflation, in the United States and Canada. The film fell outside of the top ten for the first time in its eleventh weekend during the weekend February 26–28, 2016, and did not achieve $1 million in ticket sales for the first time in its fourteenth weekend.


Other territories

Internationally, the film was released in over 30,000 screens. It opened on December 16, 2015, in 12 international markets and earned $14.1 million on its opening day, debuting at first place in all of them. It expanded in an additional 42 countries on December 17, generating $58.6 million for a two-day international total of $72.7 million, reaching first place in all 44 markets. It grossed a total of $129.5 million in three days after adding $56.8 million on its third day, and set a new midnight record in the United Kingdom with $3.6 million. It broke opening-day records in the United Kingdom ($14.4 million), Germany ($7.1 million), Australia ($6.8 million), Sweden ($1.7 million), Norway ($1.1 million), and in 12 other countries. Other markets which generated large opening days were Spain ($3.5 million) and Japan ($3 million). After the five days, ''The Force Awakens'' had a total international opening gross of $281 million from 30,000 screens, a new record for December opening and the third-biggest international opening of all time. International markets generating opening-weekend tallies of at least $10 million were the United Kingdom ($50.6 million), Germany ($27.5 million), France ($22.5 million), Australia ($19.6 million), Japan ($13.4 million), and Russia ($12.3 million). The film had the biggest opening of all time in 18 countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Sweden. After five days, the film had a total worldwide opening record of $529 million from 74 territories, which was the List of highest-grossing openings for films#Biggest worldwide openings on record, biggest worldwide opening at that time, making it only the second time in cinematic history—after ''Jurassic World''—that a film had opened to more than $500 million globally. This included an IMAX opening record of $48 million. Revenues from IMAX dipped slightly, generating $19 million in its second weekend, for a record total of over $70 million in 11 days. IMAX generated $17.9 million from 276 IMAX theaters. The film had a steeper decline in its second weekend, falling 51% to $136.9 million. The film had an unsuccessful opening in India where it opened third against two local blockbusters with a mere $1.51 million. As of February 2016, the highest-grossing markets outside of the United States and Canada were the United Kingdom ($180.7 million), China ($124.5 million), Germany ($109.7 million), Japan ($92.6 million), and France ($88.2 million). On January 17, 2016, it passed the $1 billion mark overseas becoming the first film of Disney, the third film of 2015 and the fifth film overall to achieve this feat. It topped the international box office chart for five consecutive weekends, becoming the first film since ''Avengers: Age of Ultron'' (2015) to have five straight wins, before being dethroned by '' The Revenant'' in its sixth weekend. In Japan, it topped the box office for six straight weekends.


Critical response

''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics.Multiple sources: * * * * On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, of critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of . The website's consensus reads, "Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, ''The Force Awakens'' successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale; women, and people under the ages of 25 and 18 gave it an "A+", while 98% of audiences gave it either an "A" or a "B". Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film an 88% "definite recommend" while 96% said it met or exceeded their expectations. Robbie Collin of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' said the film "sets out to shake ''Star Wars'' from its slumber, and reconnect the series with its much-pined-for past", and "it achieves this both immediately and joyously is perhaps the single greatest relief of the movie-going year." Peter Bradshaw of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' said that it was "both a narrative progression from the earlier three films and a shrewdly affectionate next-gen reboot", and it was "ridiculous and melodramatic and sentimental, but exciting and brimming with energy and its own kind of generosity." Variety (magazine), ''Variety'''s Justin Chang wrote that the film has "sufficient style, momentum, love, and care to prove irresistible to any who have ever considered themselves fans." Richard Roeper of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' described it as "a beautiful, thrilling, joyous, surprising, and heart-thumping adventure". Ann Hornaday, writing for ''The Washington Post'', thought the film had "enough novelty to create yet another cohort of die-hard fans", and the film struck "all the right chords, emotional, and narrative, to feel both familiar and exhilaratingly new." ''The Charlotte Observer''s Lawrence Toppman said Abrams had "pulled off a delicate balancing act, paying clever homage to the past." Mick LaSalle of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' gave the film his highest rating and called it "the best ''Star Wars'' sequel yet and one of the best films of 2015". Frank Pallotta, reviewing the film for CNN Business, found it was the best ''Star Wars'' film since the original trilogy and that it "is bound to be a film experience long remembered by fans and non-fans alike". Tom Long of ''The Detroit News'' wrote that though some may find the film too similar to the original ''Star Wars'', it leaves "the ungainly and unneeded clumsiness of the subsequent prequels far behind", and "the energy, humor, and simplicity of direction [has] been recaptured". The ''Tribune-Star'' called it "basically the same" as the original film but "isn't that what we all wanted anyway?" Stephanie Zacharek of ''Time (magazine), Time'' wrote that Abrams had delivered "everything we expect, as opposed to those nebulous wonders we didn't know we wanted". Reviewing for ''Forbes'', Scott Mendelson cited the film's "top-tier production values and a strong sense of scale and scope", but felt it was so much "an exercise in fan service [that] it is only due to the charisma and talent of our newbies and J. J. Abrams' undeniable skill as a visual storyteller that the Mad Libs narrative doesn't outright destroy the picture." Brian Merchant of ''Motherboard (website), Motherboard'' said that the film "is supposed to be all about exploring the unexplored, not rehashing the well-trod", and that "one of the most unabashedly creative enterprises of the 20th century has been rendered another largely enjoyable, but mostly forgettable Hollywood reboot." ''RogerEbert.com''s Gerardo Valero said the movie "plagiarized" ''A New Hope'' and resorted to nostalgia. He felt that it "didn't [justify] a return to the universe" from not having an original story of its own to tell in the plot, characters, and musical score, negatively comparing it to George Lucas' prequel trilogy, and that some of its climactic moments felt unearned.


From George Lucas

In an interview with
Charlie Rose Charles Peete Rose Jr. (born January 5, 1942) is an American journalist and talk show host. From 1991 to 2017, he was the host and executive producer of the talk show ''Charlie Rose (talk show), Charlie Rose'' on PBS and Bloomberg L.P., Bloombe ...
that aired on December 24, 2015, Lucas likened his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney to a "divorce" and outlined the creative differences between him and the producers of ''The Force Awakens''. Lucas described the previous ''Star Wars'' films as his "children" and criticized the "retro feel" of ''The Force Awakens'', saying: "I worked very hard to make [my films] completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships—you know, to make it new." Lucas also likened Disney to "white slavers", which drew some criticism; he subsequently apologized. In a 2019 memoir, Disney chairman
Bob Iger Robert Alan Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American media executive who is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Walt Disney Company. He previously was the president of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) between 1994 and 1995 and p ...
said that Lucas "couldn't even hide his disappointment" towards Abrams' interpretation. According to Iger, Lucas said, "there's nothing new" after seeing the film, and that "there weren't enough visual or technical leaps forward". Lucas preferred
Rian Johnson Rian Craig Johnson (born December 17, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film ''Brick (film), Brick'' (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget ...
's sequel ''The Last Jedi'' and the anthology film ''Rogue One'' (2016).


Accolades

Several awards held their nominations before the December release of ''The Force Awakens'', making the film ineligible for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards and some other awards ceremonies. However, the film was added to the 21st Critics' Choice Awards' slate of best picture nominees after a special vote by the board of directors, and the announcement of the American Film Institute Awards 2015, 2015 American Film Institute Awards was delayed until after the release of ''The Force Awakens'', where it was named one of the top-ten films of 2015. At the
88th Academy Awards The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2015 and took place on February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, 5:30 p.m. PST. D ...
, ''The Force Awakens'' received nominations for Academy Award for Best Film Editing, Best Film Editing, Academy Award for Best Original Score, Best Original Score, Academy Award for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Editing, Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Mixing, and Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, Best Visual Effects. The film's other nominations include four British Academy Film Awards (winning one) and a Critics' Choice Movie Award.


Fan backlash

The release of the first film trailer for ''The Force Awakens'' in 2015 spurred a racial Backlash (sociology), backlash against the casting of Boyega, a Black British actor, in such a prominent role. Some social media users called for a boycott of the film, which they accused of being "anti-white" and of promoting "white genocide". One such account promoted the Cultural Marxism conspiracy theory. The character of Rey was also criticized as a too-perfect "Mary Sue" character by a group of fans who became known as the "Fandom Menace", who focused their ire at Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, whom they accused of spoiling the film franchise by including "forced diversity" and pro-feminist politics.


Sequels

''The Force Awakens'' was followed by the sequels ''The Last Jedi'' and ''The Rise of Skywalker'', which conclude the sequel trilogy. Both grossed over $1billion, ranking among the highest-grossing films of the year. ''The Last Jedi'' garnered positive reviews from critics while ''The Rise of Skywalker'' received a mixed response.


Notes


References


Works cited

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External links

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