emiered Dec. 18, drawing audiences of all ages from all over the galaxy. The film was directed by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Star Trek: Into Darkness) and features a star-studded, revolutionary cast, including Harrison Ford and newcomer Daisy Ridley.

According to IMDb, the movie takes place 30 years after the end of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, where new characters Rey and Finn must fight with their rebel friends against Kylo Ren, the most recent threat to the Galxy.

The most recent Star Wars movie, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, was released in 2005. Despite some debate over whether Episodes I-III can truly be considered Star Wars movies, the fact remains that it’s been decades since the legendary yellow block letters first scrolled up on the big screen.

Just a bit of background: Episodes IV-VI were released first, which is why they are considered “the original trilogy,” and Episodes I-III are referred to as the “prequels.”

The first movie of the original series drew crowds in the late ‘70s. Many of those children were captivated by the revolutionary special effects and the great characters, such as Darth Vader and Han Solo.

“There is no way I can possibly relay to you the feeling of awe we all felt when in the first scene of A New Hope a giant ship took twenty seconds to cross the screen,” AP Statistics Douglas Szafran said.

For original viewers, Star Wars Episodes IV-VI represented a new wave of special effects and adventure in cinema, with panoramic landscape shots combined with well-designed ships and casual droid-human interaction, not to mention the concept of the Force and the deadly wonders that are lightsabers.

But the franchise doesn’t just draw in those who grew up as the original films were released. The enthusiasm for the Star Wars universe has made its way into our current generation.

“The movies were something from my childhood that nothing else has been able to capture,” junior Ian Murren said. “Watching this motley group of people coming together for different reasons but ultimately making the world a better place made for the best present a 5-year-old could ask for.”

It’s because of those beloved original films that this new movie has people so excited. With new characters and possibilities everywhe, it’s understandable.

“I’m extremely excited because we’ve come so far with special effects,” senior Lindsey Tait said. “Even though the other movies are great as is, there’s much new technology to incorporate into making this new one,”

But though a new Star Wars movie is highly anticipated, fans are still apprehensive about the film’s ability to retain essential elements of the Star Wars universe as they know it.

“I’ve always loved the lore behind Star Wars—the background, fan-created canon that says what happened in the universe and to the characters outside of the movies,” Murren said. “I’m nervous that Disney will mess with that extended universe.”

There’s good reason behind those nerves. The prequel film series in the early 2000s divided many Star Wars fans. Whether it was the overuse of poor CGI (computer-generated images) or Jar Jar Binks, these films just failed to live up to their predecessors.

“I think the prequels were unnecessary to the story,” Szafran said. “I would have been happier if the prequels had spent more time with Count Dooku, General Grievous and the Jedi Council and less with the Gungans.”

Still, fans may be able to watch the new movie peacefully, given that many original actors and characters, such as Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and Kenny Baker as R2D2 are making cameo appearances. Even legendary composer John Williams will continue his work in creating the music for the newest Star Wars films.

“I like that the movie continues with a new generation, but I’m excited to see some old favorites and any nods to the original films that will be in the new movie,” Tait said. “I’m particularly hoping for some Ewoks.”

The film also introduces new actors new to the galaxy, with Daisey Ridley as Rey and John Boyega as Finn. Though the expansive cast features other actors like Lupita Nyong, the revolutionary part of all this is revealed in the main characters, as one is a female and the other is most certainly non-white. This showing of diversity has mostly been met with positivity, although some skeptics think that it takes viewers too far away from the original universe.

“People should just be happy that the main characters are human,” Murren said. “It’s Star Wars, so if you’re worried about skin color, remember that the character could have been blue or green.”

Whether CHS students and staff want to make the trek to see the film is up to them, although the anticipation for this particular movie means that there may not be any tickets left.

May the Force be with you, CHS.