Fans are hyperventilating like Finn.
The last teaser trailer for The Force Awakens was revealed six months ago, and pretty much every day since, Star Wars die-hards have been asking the same question: “When’s the next one?”
Over, and over, and over, and over again.
And over again, and over some more.
Official Lucasfilm sources are keeping their lips zipped, apart from the vague promise of: Soon. Now, even John Boyega, who stars as the stressed-out runaway stormtrooper, is joining the ranks of those whose patience has reached the red zone.
So connected with JJ and told him to hurry up with a trailer. Fingers crossed! That’s all I can do. #injjwetrust
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) October 14, 2015
Some fellow Twitter users were quick to question if he meant director J.J. Abrams — or Jar-Jar Binks. That led to a follow-up response from Boyega, amounting to a perturbed emoji with a slanted mouth.
“@MeesaLoveGungan: @HelloGreedo @JohnBoyega In Jar Jar we trust 2k15” :/
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) October 14, 2015
The Lucasfilm/Disney mothership does keep key information from the cast — nobody likes to talk like actors, and there isn’t much that can be done to control them except not give them any beans to spill. When the previous trailer showed in April, none of the actors had seen it until the night before, when Abrams passed around his laptop and a set of earphones at dinner on the eve of The Force Awakens panel at Celebration event in Anaheim.
But this message from Boyega comes after intense rumblings and unconfirmed reports that the new trailer is imminent — and perhaps, from some admirers’ points of view, overdue. Although it doesn’t confirm anything specific, it does seem aimed at putting people at ease. Soon. Soon.
The Force Awakens presents a tricky marketing challenge. Lucasfilm has to be careful to avoid burning out casual fans who love Star Wars but could easily find that dampened by too much Force-feeding.
It’s worth remembering that, while there may not have been a new trailer for half a year, Abrams and Co. did release a three-minute behind-the-scenes video at San Diego Comic-Con that gave die-hards much to parse and explore, and the cast also appeared at Disney’s D23 Expo in August — although the main reveal there was a poster for the movie (along with information about the upcoming Rogue One spin-off and Disney theme park Star Wars Land).
Entertainment Weekly also offered a deep dive into The Force Awakens in August with our Fall Movie Preview, featuring a dozen new images along with hints about the villain Kylo Ren, the Luke Skywalker mystery at the heart of the new film, and a chronicle of Harrison Ford’s return to Han Solo, among many other stories.
So … it’s not like fans have been starving. As the Emperor once said: “Patience, my friend.” Theater owners and advance ticket-sellers are standing by, waiting for the go-ahead to begin offering tickets, and with the movie only two months away, this is about the right time for that to happen.
If we at EW had specific information to share, we would. But for now, all we can say can be summed up in another quote — the first few lines of the teaser we got last November: “There has been an awakening … Have you felt it?”
Whatever Force-sensitivity I’ve been able to draw on this topic tells me to be on the safe side.
My assistant just cleared the schedule for Monday. I asked why, but he took off! … Hm. pic.twitter.com/ufMvrawBht
— Anthony Breznican (@Breznican) October 13, 2015