The hype continues to build for Star Wars: The Force Awakens after its most recent trailer and announcement that tickets are on sale. Sold out theaters and much media coverage continue to feed the frenzy of Star Wars fans waiting to see the newest installment of their childhood memories.
The question on the minds of many has been about the fate of the classic Jedi himself, Luke Skywalker. He has so far not been seen in the promotional material leading many to speculate what his role will be in the film.
Will he be a secret villain, dead, or not in the movie at all? Right now all of the stars and the director himself have been very tight-lipped about the fate of a now not-so-young Skywalker.
The clamor from fans to know exactly the role that he will play is an odd phenomenon. The mystery surrounding what happens to Star War’s greatest good guy is going to be a selling point as people decide to go see the movie.
Why then, do fans want to ruin what might be the coolest reveal in the film? In a media culture that hates spoilers so much, why have fans taken to trying to expose all of the twists and turns that might be coming in The Force Awakens?
This might simply be a case of eager fans excited for what they hope to be an incredible addition to the franchise they grew up on. Alternatively, it could also be a symptom of the current movie landscape.
Star Wars was born into a world in which every little piece of filming could be kept a secret from the public until it was released. In fact Return of the Jedi was shot as “Blue Harvest”, a horror film, to keep its inner workings more secretive.
The Force Awakens will be entering a time in movie history where so much is known about big budget films before they are even in theaters. Big name roles and actors castings are made know as soon as they happen and movies and sequels are announced years before they even start writing a script.
Marvel and DC both have movie projects all the way until 2020 and will no doubt announce more in the coming months. Nothing is a well guarded secret anymore and by not guarding some of those secrets, movie companies have learned that they can whet the appetites of their fans.
Star Wars, has attempted to do the opposite in its run. There have been a total of three big trailers each showcasing clips of scenes with very little dialogue or plot development.
Interviews with the stars and director have yielded few details. All that can be pieced together is unable to thoroughly explain the plot of the film.
The evasive tactics and lack of information may be frustrating to many fans who would love to know what is happening to their favorite characters. It is, however, a throwback to the Star Wars films which grabbed the imagination of fans.
The wild speculation that comes with the release of a big Star Wars film is part of the fun. Fans should go in to the movie screening with expectations limited only by their imagination.
Star Wars is an exercise in childlike imagination. It is adventure in its purest form.
Is Luke good, bad, or dead? The answer matters less than the journey taken to get there.
Buy a ticket, enjoy the film, and just wait and see what has become of Luke. Don’t spoil the film before it’s even released.
