Isn't it funny how one day can alter things in a major way?
For example, heading into yesterday's Star Wars Celebration panel about “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” I was in a fairly cynical place about the state of fandom and people's ability to let go of the prequels.
The energy in that room convinced me that I was wrong about where we are right now, and then watching people react to the trailer online, I actually think it's possible to turn that corner permanently. We may finally be done with the endless talk of who did what to whose childhood and it might be time to get back to being able to enjoy these movies as what they are, our most ubiquitous modern myth.
Part of what I love about “Star Wars,” something that's been true since 1977, is the world itself. George Lucas created a universe with enough corners to keep hundreds of storytellers busy for decades, and I suspect we're going to start seeing more and more people step in to play with all the toys that Lucas left behind when he sold Lucasfilm to Disney.
For those who can't get a gig actually making a “Star Wars” film, there's still going to be a way to immerse yourself completely in the universe, and now that there's a real trailer for “Star Wars: Battlefront,” I think it's safe to say that I'll be faking my own death in early December to free up all of my time to play “Battlefront” with my kids.
Yes, I know much of that is simply “game engine” footage, but there are shots of actual game play, and it looks like they've taken the spirit of the old “Battlefront” games and then souped it up dramatically. It also looks like we'll be able to play one of the major set pieces from “The Force Awakens” before the film arrives in theaters.
Overall, it feels like it's a pretty good time to be a “Star Wars” fan again, and I sincerely hope that we all still feel this way on December 19th this year.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” opens in theaters December 18, 2015.