Just when you thought there was no way Star Wars: The Force Awakens could get any more omnipresent in the run up to its release on December 18, Jimmy Kimmel devoted an entire episode to the show last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (And no, it was not a prank). If you didn’t catch it, it turned out to be a fun little preview for the film, delving into production trivia for the film as well as general Star Wars information. And Kimmel sprinkled in his brand of comedy throughout, with some payoffs and some flat landings.
Following his opening monologue, which featured great one-liners like, "The most anticipated sequel, I think, since the New Testament," and "Americans know more about Star Wars than we do actual wars," things got kicked off with R2-D2. What follows is sort of strange, with Carrie Fischer appearing as a hologram and swearing a lot, but it has a nice payoff when Kimmel quips “She kisses her brother with that mouth!”
Kimmel also conducted an interview with the cast, which included Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Carrie Fischer, and director J.J. Abrams. They revealed some interesting tidbits from the film, including the fact that during the audition process, everyone had to memorize their lines because they couldn't take the script out of the studio. Also, even though Driver is in a mask (supposedly) the entire film, he insisted on filming every scene rather than allowing someone to simply throw on the mask and film in his place. Abrams also revealed, as we reported yesterday, that he is putting the finishing touches on the final product.
Said Abrams, "We have a couple more color corrections, but we're done. I can't tell you the relief I feel." Abrams mentioned that a handful of people consisting of some close friends and family have seen the film, but believes, “It is a movie that will be a lot of fun to watch with a crowd.
The segment that seemed the least interactive with the cast turned out to be the most fun. Kimmel brought out 7-year-old Arden Hayes to compete against the cast on Star Wars trivia. And if you thought you had a treasure trove of knowledge, this kid will put you in your place. He simply slays the competition, who all happen to have made a Star Wars film. But what’s most fun about this sketch is Hayes’ excitement and passion, bordering on seriousness (like looking into a mirror, right?). Seeing him talk about the films really brings home that the whole series, but especially this new film, belongs to us all and is being handed to a new generation.
Watch Arden take down the cast and check out the rest of clips below, including the end of the Ford-Chewbacca feud, and be sure to follow our coverage as we get closer to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.