The Force is strong with this one

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released in movie theaters at the end of this year. I love the original trilogy so much that I haven't had the heart to get really excited about this new one. I want it to be great. It wouldn't change how I feel about the originals, but -- especially when they're going to the effort of bringing back original stars like Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Anthony Daniels -- I don't want those characters ruined! If this is the definitive version of what happened to these characters after Return of the Jedi, it has to be a story worth telling and it has to honor the reasons why Star Wars became so beloved in the first place.

Happily, if this trailer is any indication, it will:


The music, the special effects, the nods to classic moments, and, of course, Han and Chewbacca at the end looking as bass-a$$ as ever. This is a great trailer. I cried and I cheered and I felt hope flower within me.

After such a satisfying reimagining of the Star Trek franchise, I suppose I trust JJ Abrams more than most to uphold the essence of Star Wars. It looks beautiful. It looks exciting. It won't be bogged down with pre-existing future events the way the prequel movies were -- there are so many possibilities! It helps that I adore actors Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis (I hope he isn't all CGI'd in this one), and Domhnall Gleeson. Fingers crossed that George Lucas's baby is in good hands.

I have a good feeling about this.