Watch the thrilling first trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII

"There has been an awakening," says a mysterious voice as the first trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII begins. "Have you felt it?"

From there, the cryptic trailer highlights several new characters in the Star Wars universe: a troubled-looking man in a Stromtrooper uniform (John Boyega), a young woman riding a Landspeeder (Daisy Ridley), and a mysterious man wielding a red lightsaber with a nasty-looking hilt. It's not until the end of the trailer that the real nostalgia trip begins: John Williams' immortal score kicks in as the Millennium Falcon takes on a pair of TIE Fighters.

What does it all mean? Fans will have plenty of time to pore over every little detail of the Star Wars: Episode VII trailer; the movie won't hit theaters until December 2015.

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.