Days after the Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer dropped, the Internet is still busy picking up the pieces. The first-look footage sent legions of comic-book and blockbuster-movie fans in a scurry to scour every frame of film, analyzing the clues that director Joss Whedon decided to include in the sneak peek at his 2015 tentpole thriller.
And all I could think of as I sat back and watched the Marvel-fuelled insanity was, "What will it be like when J.J. Abrams finally unleashes his first trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII?"
After all, Joss Whedon’s first Avengers movie only came out two-and-a-half years ago. Plus, there have been four spectacular Marvel moves released into theaters since that film. The audience’s appetite for Marvel movies should have been satiated. Star Wars fans, on the flip side, have been starving – metaphorically – for years. The prequels disappointed, and they are DYING to see something new from their beloved movie universe. J.J. Abrams has a lot of pressure to deliver with the first trailer for December 2015’s Star Wars: Episode VII. So, what do we hope that he chooses to include in the first teaser (when it eventually drops)? Let’s run through the options:
An Epic Title Crawl
Seeing as how we know so very little about the actual plot of Star Wars: Episode VII, a clever (and effective) teaser trailer could consist of just a classic Star Wars title crawl, explaining the storyline of the movie without giving away any footage. Fans probably would be furious that Abrams’ chose not to include images of classic Star Wars characters. But a long-ish crawl that filled in all of the narrative beats we have been wildly speculating on could get the record straight on a number of key issues tied to Episode VII. Heck, THAT trailer could come out next week without Abrams having to sign off on any special effects shots or visual cues.
John Williams' music
The one consistent artistic flourish attached to all of the previous Star Wars movies has been John Williams’ iconic score. Imagining the first trailer to J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars opening with the title card, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…" as the first few notes of Williams’ score – either old, or brand new – would raise instant goosebumps on the arms of film geeks far and wide. We know Williams is writing music for Abrams’ movie (as well he should). A few bars of the new score need to be in the first trailer.
The Holy Trinity
When it comes to Star Wars, the unofficial Holy Trinity would be Luke, Leia and Han. J.J. Abrams understands this, which is why he went to great lengths to rewrite his Episode VII screenplay and place more of an emphasis on Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. He basically admitted, "I have these guys. I better put them to good use." And the first trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII needs to do the same. Show us Hamill in that lengthy Jedi Master beard. Give us a shot of Fisher in her Senatorial gowns. Include footage of Ford giving a damn. Anything to help ease our minds that these actors will be able to recapture SOME of the original trilogy’s former glories.
The Villain
Is it a clone of The Emperor? A Darth Vader-worshipping Sith? Someone completely different… or a former hero we don’t expect to turn to the Dark Side? The rumors swirling around the possible villain (or villains) for Star Wars: Episode VII have been thick, mysterious, and often misleading. The first trailer needs to give us some insight into the greater threat in the latest Star Wars. Show us who Luke and crew will be facing off against. Because Star Wars gave us one of cinema’s most memorable villains in Vader, and Episode VII needs to fill those black boots if it’s going to have any staying power.
The Newcomers
Believe it or not, I’m more intrigued for the new pieces being brought to J.J. Abrams’ developing puzzle than I am for the old "blood" pumping through its veins. Yes, it will be cool to see Chewbacca, R2D2 and C3PO back on screen in an adventure. But J.J. Abrams has cast a fantastic ensemble, and I’m dying to see how people like Andy Serkis, Max von Sydow, Gwendoline Christie, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and Lupita Nyong’o factor in to the new movie. Even if it’s just a supercut of their characters, we can pause and go over costumes they are wearing, weapons they are holding, locations that they occupy… God there’s so much stuff waiting for us in the Star Wars: Episode VII trailer – whenever it decides to drop!
