For many, December is an exciting time of the year filled with holidays and excitement. However, 2015 proves to be a little different for the millions of Star Wars fans out there. December 18 marks the release date of the next great chapter of the Star Wars legacy. After ten years of waiting for the next story in a galaxy far far away, fans are more excited than ever to witness JJ Abrams’ newest film that is “The Force Awakens”. All notions have hinted that the movie will be a huge success, but will it live up to the hype?

If you have looked at the TV or internet lately, it is almost impossible to have missed the countless commercials and plot speculations. The first teaser trailer for the film was released November 28, 2014, over a year in advance. Since then there has been a huge amount of non-stop merchandise and advertising that people are happy to live side by side with. Not to mention, tickets went on sale in mid November, selling out the first week of shows in just days. With record numbers of pre-ticket sales, box office records are likely going to be smashed.

“I predict that the movie will gross one billion dollars in the first weekend.” said Senior Jeff OBrian

With merchandise already flying off the shelves, it appears that the early start on promoting the movie was a smart move. But, there are a number of other potential factors determining the success after the premiere.

All of the trailers have now been released by Disney and fans are buzzing with excitement and plot speculations. Showing dramatic images of the main characters, villains, and the action that defines Star Wars movies, these teasers reaches viewers of all age levels. Also equipped with John William’s spine tingling music scores, memorable dialogue and the Millennium Falcon battling inside a wrecked star destroyer, the trailers definitely point the movie in the right direction. However, the art of the movie trailer is just one small factor in making a film a success.

The second thing fans are excited about, and something that might give Episode VII a winning edge, are the traditional filmmaking techniques that were used in the original films. This entails shooting on 35mm film and the use of physical models for sets and action sequences. The prequel films got a bad rap for over using CGI (computer generated imagery) and giving everything a digital look. The human eye is able to tell the difference between reality and computer generated images so when a film relies too much on this technique, the audience has the potential lose interest over time.

Regarding episode VII, Director JJ Abrams is trying to bring back some of the old energy by shooting on traditional film and using models again. When these two things are be combined with the newer and more powerful computers of today, there will be no shortage of beautiful imagery flying off the screen.

A third factor that will have a powerful impact on the film is the group of people who have been behind it from the beginning. George Lucas, the director and creator of the original films, is not returning to aid in “The Force Awakens”, yet a passionate group of people are stepping into his shoes.  Actors such as Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher who portrayed the original characters are returning to play their famous roles. JJ Abrams, director of films like “Super 8” and the new Star Trek reboots, has also proclaimed on numerous occasions a childlike love for Star Wars.

“While I wouldn’t necessarily choose JJ Abrams as the director,” said sophomore Connor Markuson, “I do think he is a talented filmmaker and that he will do a good enough job.”

So upfront, “The Force Awakens” looks like it is going to be an awesome film. The trailers are well done, a great cast are eager to play their roles, and the director is in it for reasons other than money.

“I think it is going to be a good movie regardless of what happens,” said senior and Star Wars fan Jack Callen. “The majority of the film has already been determined as far as characters and worlds. The only thing to really mess up is the plot. And even if it is bad, it will still receive a huge amount of approval simply because it is Star Wars.”

Only time will tell if Episode VII will pull off a win for the Star Wars saga. The cards are in the favor of the fans, and the premiere is just around the corner. On December 18, history will be made and if it happens to turn sour, then may the force be with us.