As a kid, the excitement of seeing the words ‘James Bond will return’ was infectious, confirming that the adventures of Britain’s greatest spy would continue.
Back to the Future 2 also did it in 1989 and the Marvel movie universe has done the same. But Star Wars has never done it. Until now.
US movie news site Schmoes Know have claimed that the end credits of The Force Awakens (released on December 17th) will include not only a small clip but also a teaser.
This has never happened before, largely due to the previous films having been made three years apart, compared with the 12-month gap we’ll have going forward. There will be just five months between Rogue One (released 16th December 2016) and Episode VIII (coming 26th May 2017).
Schmoes Know have heard that both a clip and a teaser for Rogue One will be added after the credits of The Force Awakens.
With the film currently deep in production, it’s believable that a teaser will be added, but a clip as well might be a stretch.
That said, at Celebration Anaheim in April there was a ‘moving poster’ for Rogue One to accompany director Gareth Edwards as he came to the stage, so it’s possible.
Also possible could be a clip or scene from Episode VIII, which lands May 2017.
This image released by Lucasfilm shows character Chewbacca, left, and Harrison Ford in a scene from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the highly anticipated film by J.J. Abrams that hits theaters Dec. 18.Sound crazy? Well, it’s been confirmed that the cast and crew will shortly be returning to Skellig Island to shoot scenes for Rian Johnson’s sequel episode, and by that point as a viewer in the cinema we will have literally just seen Luke Skywalker on screen for the first time in 32 years right at the end of the movie.
Perhaps a brief vignette from Episode VIII AND a teaser for Rogue One would whet the appetite for any viewer not totally sold on returning for more episodes.
For older fans it might seem crazy that awareness for Rogue One needs to be built, but many younger fans – anyone 21 and younger – were raised in the era of the prequels, so those three movies (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith) and the two Clone Wars animated series are THEIR Star Wars.
While older fans and the wider press might belittle those films, to a HUGE portion of Star Wars fandom they were their first film, and they love them.
With Rogue One being set just a year or so before the original 1977 movie, it might take a touch more effort to enthuse the crowd raised on Anakin, Ben and Padme instead of Han, Luke and Leia that these films are essential viewing.
While I’m unsure if breaking completely with the traditional end credits of a Star Wars movie is the best route, it’s worth noting that The Phantom Menace had Vader’s breathing at the end of the credits, which was a first.
Also the opening of these new Disney Star Wars films will be very different without the 20th Century Fox fanfare. Fans young and old associate that music as closely with Star Wars as almost any other theme from the saga.
Source: Metro
