December 16, 2015

Talking 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' (Without Seeing the Film)

Kevin Taft READ TIME: 4 MIN.

With the long-awaited and increasingly hyped sequel to one of the most successful movie franchises of all time, the desperate desire for any information about anything related to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is at an all-time high. With the film just days away from opening and with press not given access to watching the film, the studio's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Press Conference" was a bit of a head-scratcher.

With no screenings prior to the conference, journalists were left to ask generic questions that the cast and crew could only answer vaguely; which must be frustrating for them. While it's admirable that Lucasfilm and Disney want to keep things secret so that fans can have a fresh experience, that leaves any sort of new reveals few and far between. Even with (currently) eighteen TV trailer spots making the rounds, new footage still appears but in mere fragments that give audiences not much more information than they had when the official trailer was revealed earlier this fall.

But again, we can't complain when the powers-that-be want to keep the integrity and mystery alive right up until the release date. With enough industry folks revealing they have seen it and they like it (Steven Spielberg, Kevin Smith, the actors) this is enough to satiate fans and whet their appetites for the night of the 17th when the film opens nationwide.

So what did the cast and crew reveal in the two-hour press conference? Well, it might have been ambiguous and the actors might have tip-toed around a lot, but with actress/comedian Mindy Kaling as moderator, it was still fun, surprising, and oftentimes hilarious. (Carrie Fisher was there so we expect nothing less.)

So I could sit here and write out the most popular highlights and summarize the most interesting responses, but really, that would take away from the sly asides Fisher kept throwing out, or the spontaneous musical number by "Game of Thrones" Gwendolyn Christie and hottie Oscar Isaac. So below are segments from the entire press conference which include both familiar faces and new. Still conspicuously absent from the ad campaign is Mark Hamill, whose presence in the film is such a secret that theories continuously abound. (My vote is he actually "IS" on the poster, but not in the way we might expect.)

So without further ado, here is the entire press conference with some summaries of content so you can pick and choose the moments you want to see.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens officially December 18, 2015, with early screenings beginning the night of the 17.

Press conference, part one

Highlights:

  • Mindy Kaling introduces: JJ Abrams, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyongo, Carrie Fisher, Lawrence Kasdan and opens the press conference with questions for JJ including :

  • "Aren't you rich? Why did you want to do these movies?"

  • Mindy discusses Adam Driver's role and tells him "Kylo Ren looks hilarious."

  • Mindy asks Daisy Ridley about her character's "Walk-Up" song. The audience asks JJ and what they wanted the fans to come away with when watching "The Force Awakens" and Carrie Fisher talks Girl Power!

  • JJ discusses the secrecy behind the film to keep the audience surprised and excited. And we hear from Lupita about her motion capture role.

  • JJ and Lawrence discuss the Extended Universe and canon and if it influenced their film.

  • Are there Ewoks in the movie? Find out here. Plus, Mindy talks writing with Larry Kasdan and his influences.

  • Is there an Easter Egg or Extra Scene at the end of the movie? And Carrie discusses her "classy gas station attendant" costume and her dog Gary's attempt to get a role in the film.

    Press conference, part two

    Highlights:

  • Mindy introduces: Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, John Boyega, Gwendolyn Christie, Oscar Isaac and asks Harrison Ford the same question she asked JJ: "Aren't you rich? Why are you doing this?" And asks Kathleen Kennedy what's "definitely NOT in the movie?" Hint: It rhymes with Bar-Bar Kinks.

  • An Italian journalist asks Harrison Ford what the difference between the first "Star Wars" film and this one are. (It has to do with drinking!) Oh, and they all talk about not doing drugs and "hanging" out in other people's trailers.

  • Gwendolyn Christie talks about how popular her character Captain Phasma has already become and Kathleen Kennedy discusses the unprecedented level of secrecy behind the film.

  • Oscar Issac, Gwendolyn Christie, and John Boyega discuss the origins of their characters and the rumors that abound about the plot details.

  • A journalist talks about Harrison coming back to his role and how hard it was to slip back into it and Oscar Isaac talks about inter-droid relationships. Oh, and there's a musical interlude.

  • The press conference wraps up with everyone's favorite "Star Wars" moments and Harrison talks the metal bikini.


    by Kevin Taft

    Kevin Taft is a screenwriter/critic living in Los Angeles with an unnatural attachment to 'Star Wars' and the desire to be adopted by Steven Spielberg.

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