(KRON) — We’re home.
“Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams and his cast released the sci-fi franchise’s latest trailer during a Star Wars Celebration event in Anaheim, California on Thursday.
In the clip’s opening, a land speeder races across a desert landscape revealing a downed X-Wing fighter and wrecked Star Destroyer. The three blade “crossguard” lightsaber also makes a return, but this time we get to see more of the lasersword-wielding Sith Lord Kylo Ren.
The 37-year-old saga returns on December 18 with some of the original cast of the first Star Wars, including Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford. The 72-year-old actor makes a brief appearance in the 110-second trailer.
“Chewie, we’re home,” Solo tells his loyal, hairy companion Chewbacca.
At today’s event, Abrams talked about not relying on computer-generated images to create the galaxy far, far away.
“The thing that struck me … is how real you knew and felt Star Wars was when you first saw ‘A New Hope,'” he said. “You want it to be legitimate. You want it to be authentic. Building as much as we could was really the mandate.”
It’s “a Western and a fairy tale as much as anything else,” Abrams said of “The Force Awakens.”
“Star Wars” veterans Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels and Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew also made appearances.
The trailer was later released on YouTube.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opens in theaters December 18, 2015.