The first bit of footage from Star Wars: The Last Jedi was shown to Walt Disney Co. shareholders at the company’s annual meeting, which reveals the first words spoken by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to Rey (Daisy Ridley).
Amid Disney CEO Bob Iger’s presentation at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, a clip from the upcoming eighth chapter in the Star Wars space saga was shown to attendees, according to the LA Times. It gave a glimpse at the interaction that takes place right after the end of The Force Awakens, when Rey travels to the oceanic planet of Ahch-To to find the missing Luke, who’s been living by himself for years.
In the clip shown, after Skywalker turns around to face Rey, and drops his hood, he asks Rey: “Who are you?” As a response, Rey hands him her lightsaber. Other characters make an appearance too, including Chewbacca, Finn (John Boyega), and the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa. Fisher passed away in December last year; she had completed filming on The Last Jedi, and Disney is considering its options for Episode IX, where she was set to play a pivotal role.
The Disney CEO also paid a tribute to Fisher: “Carrie Fisher has been an iconic part in this franchise from the very beginning. We all miss her. She had great talent and wit. We’re proud that this movie coming up is part of her legacy.”
Before the reveal, Iger said: “We make a point of revealing very little from our upcoming Star Wars films. We want to keep them secret. But we’re making an exception today. We’re going to show you an exclusive first look at what happens right after that scene, and that lightsaber being handed to its rightful owner.” He also called The Last Jedi “a perfect chapter in the iconic Skywalker family drama”.
This year’s annual meeting came on the back of an immensely fruitful 2016 for Disney, as the film studio made history after racking up $7 billion (about Rs. 46,700 crores) in worldwide ticket sales. Nevertheless, Iger faced some tough questions at the meeting, having to defend his position on Trump’s business advisory council, and allegations of bias at ABC and ESPN.
Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper), The Last Jedi will be the second chapter in the new trilogy, with the first – releasing in December 2015 – becoming the third-highest grossing film of all-time, garnering over $2 billion (about Rs. 13,400 crores).
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in cinemas worldwide on December 15.
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