star-wars-7-celebration-panel-recap

You can't really get enough Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but there were some nice tidbits from the panel.  Check them out below:

  • If you tweet the hashtags #stormtrooper #C3PO or #BB8, you’ll get special emojis
  • Abrams was hesitant to sign on because of a conversation with Kathleen Kennedy because even though he had plans for himself and his family, “she made it impossible to say no.”
  • They wanted to capture the feeling of being on physical, tangible sets, and “needed to set a standard.” Building as much as they could was the mandate.
  • The desert planet in the first trailer is “Jakku” (pronounced “jock-oo”), not Tatooine as we previously thought.
  • Raised over $6 million for UNICEF though the “Force for Change” campaign.
  • There will be new droids (just the domes) including “R5” and “R6” and every pilot will have their own specific droid.
  • A practical BB8 rolled out on stage. He’s very cute, it’s a practical effect, and looks incredible. I have no idea how they put it together.
  • The brought out the three lead characters: Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Rey (Daisy Ridley), and Finn (John Boyega).

  • How we meet Rey: Comes from Jakku and she is a scavenger. Completely self sefficient and solitary “until she meets another character and the adventure begins.”
  • How we meet Finn: He’s in incredible danger and the way he reacts changes his life and launches him into the Star Wars universe in a very unique way. And the character is a stormtrooper.
  • How we meet Poe: “He’s the best fricking pilot in the galaxy.” He’s “been sent on a mission by a certain princess and ends up coming across Finn and their fates are forever intertwined.”
  • Boyega got Harrison Ford to sign the Han in Stormtrooper gear toy even though Ford said, “This is weird.”
  • Kathleen Kennedy says there will be more female characters in the new film.
  • Isaac was in his hotel waiting to see if he was cast hours before he went to the first table read.
  • Boyega waited until the table read photo was released to tell his parents he was in the movie because he didn’t think they would believe him.
  • The brought out the new stormtroopers along with Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, and Mark Hamill.
  • Fisher: “The hair buns are tired now…but I think you’ll have an alternate thing I think you’ll be very into, and it’s not the metal bikini.”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens stars John BoyegaDaisy RidleyOscar Isaac, Adam DriverHarrison FordMark HamillCarrie FisherDomhnall GleesonAndy SerkisLupita Nyong'oGwendoline Christie, and Max von Sydow. The film opens in theaters on December 18th.

For more from today's Star Wars Celebration, click on the links below:

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