For many, Episode VII, or The Force Awakens, represents a new age for the franchise, but some have voiced concerns over how Disney will handle this franchise, especially given the general criticism of the last three films. While the teasers, marketing, and merchandise have done much to ease these concerns, a few still remain skeptical. The following list gives you 10 reasons why The Force Awakens might just be the best Star Wars film to date.
Number Ten: The Design. If you haven’t looked at the new Stormtroopers, now is a great time to do so. From what we’ve seen of the design work, this film looks beautiful. The design for The Force Awakens comes from Rick Carter and Darren Gilford, veterans of beautiful films like Tron, Avatar, and Jurassic Park.
Number Nine: Disney. The entertainment supergiant might concern some, but Disney actually represents a whole new world (no pun intended) for the Star Wars franchise. Now, Lucasfilm has more financial liberty to not only make a film like The Force Awakens but also to create new spin-off films.
Number Eight: The Right Tools. The marketing for this film made it clear that effects are an important element of the film’s overall development. Episode VII goes back to the roots of film effects while maintaining one foot in the digital age; it accomplishes this by using the right tools for the right job.
In the world of visual effects, Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and his company, The Imaginarium, will provide motion capture technology for the film. Serkis is an industry leader in motion capture and will likely bring huge talent to the film.
Number Seven: The Returning Cast. Of course, we can’t forget the returning cast. Han, Luke, Leia, Chewie, C-3PO, and R2-D2 will all return in The Force Awakens. We’ve had glimpses of some of these characters, most notably Harrison Ford returning as Han Solo in the latest teaser trailer.
Number Six: The New Cast. The new cast is enormous, but the new main characters bring an energy and fresh perspective to what we’ve seen so far. The new trio includes John Boyega as Finn, Daisy Ridley as Rey, and Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron.
Number Five: John Williams. The maestro returns to score his seventh Star Wars film. The music of John Williams remains one of the most iconic and important aspects of the previous six films.
Number Four: The Storytellers. Lawrence Kasden and J. J. Abrams wrote the screenplay for The Force Awakens. You’ll remember Kasden as the screenwriter for both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, some of the best Star Wars films to date. With that, we know the writing will be good.
Number Three: Nostalgia. The Millennium Falcon, X-Wings, T-fighters, and Stormtroopers are just part of the nostalgic experience we can expect this December.
Number Two: Diversity. Star Wars: The Force Awakens will undoubtedly be the most diverse Star Wars film we’ve had to date. With actors like John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Lupita Nyong’o, Christina Chong, and more, we can expect far more diverse heroes to look up to.
Number One: We Don’t Need a Reason. Honestly, this is Star Wars we’re talking about. This is the franchise that has survived almost 40 years with six movies, two television shows, hundreds of books and comic books, and billions of dollars in merchandise. We don’t need a reason to see it. All we need to know is that we’re getting more, and we’re probably going to like it.