You’ll hopefully excuse me if this comes across a little disjointed. You see, I’m still recovering from the emotional rollercoaster that was the STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS panel, live streamed from Star Wars: Celebration in Anaheim to countries and cities around the world – including, of course, London, and Leicester Square’s Empire Cinema.
Walking into the IMAX screen, we were immediately greeted by a pair of Stormtroopers and everyone’s favourite droid duo, C-3PO and R2-D2. Not long after, everyone’s favourite STAR WARS veteran Warwick Davis (Wicket W. Warwick, RETURN OF THE JEDI) took to the stage for some pre-show entertainment, including a STAR WARS quiz (which featured some bloody tough questions, I might add – even for this grizzled STAR WARS nerd) and a costume contest.
At 17:55 GMT, Warwick stepped off the stage and the lights dimmed. Five minutes later, on came the live stream. With only a single hiccup during setup, the simulcast team really do need applauding for managing to stream the panel live around the world so flawlessly. Hopefully, this will set a precedent for future conventions (San Diego Comic-Con, anyone?) for fans who can’t afford the trip.
Anyway, after a bit of weird DJ intro stuff, things finally got started. You don’t need a step-by-step breakdown of the panel here – you can check out our live Tweets if you missed it – but suffice to say, the audience reaction in the Empire Cinema was not very far removed from those fans live in Anaheim. I’m not sure my jaw relaxed from its permanent grin-like state until I was back on the tube home.
The greatest moment of the evening, besides the unveiling of the fully practical (and fully working) BB-8 droid, was undoubtedly towards the end of the panel: when Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, R2-D2 and BB-8 lined up on stage in front of half a dozen Stormtroopers.
It was obvious what it meant to each and every person on that stage to be standing there in front of thousands of fans, and live to millions more around the world, and it was hard not to share in that emotion. I suspect many fans, as that esteemed DJ intro bloke reckoned, will have shed a tear at that sight, which, with the impact that STAR WARS has had on so many lives, is certainly not something to balk at.
Then, of course, the trailer hit, and we were fired up all over again. Those of us at the Empire (cinema, that is!) were treated to another running of the teaser thanks to Warwick and his ‘contacts’, and you can bet that the applause it got means cinemas will be completely packed when it hits in December. If there was ever any doubt…
The only negative? There’s still eight months to go.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow, as well as returning members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.
It releases globally on December 18th, 2015. Head over here to see coverage of the Star Wars Celebration throughout the weekend.
Here’s that trailer. Chewy, we’re home.
Source: THN
