The final trailer is out. Tickets are on sale. Character posters have been unveiled. You guys, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is almost here. The release of the most anticipated film of the year is now nearly one month away, and excitement continues to build towards the culmination of a tiny announcement, three years ago, that Disney was buying Lucasfilm and making a series of new Star Wars movies. With The Force Awakens, director/co-writer J.J. Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy will kick off a new franchise that already has wheels spinning on sequels and spinoffs, with plans to release a new Star Wars film every year for…ever? Indeed, The Force Awakens marks a beginning without an ending—there’s no telling how long this will go, but Abrams' film will be the foundation for everything to come.

With the release impending, Abrams is beginning to do more interviews and talk a bit more retrospectively about crafting The Force Awakens. As part of a fantastic profile in Wired, a series of new behind-the-scenes images have been unveiled that offer fans a few new looks at the making of this massive film. It’s neat to see Abrams casually conversing with a Stormtrooper, or directing star Daisy Ridley in front of the Millennium Falcon. This is all normal when you’re making a Star Wars movie.

So peruse the new images below, via Wired, which also feature John Boyega and a very weathered-looking R2-D2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on December 17th.

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Image via Lucasfilm
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Image via Lucasfilm
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Image via Lucasfilm
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Image via Lucasfilm
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Image via Lucasfilm
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Image via Lucasfilm

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