Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Theatrical release poster

Directed by J. J. Abrams
 Kathleen Kennedy
 J. J. Abrams
Produced by
 Bryan Burk

 Lawrence Kasdan
 J. J. Abrams
Written by
 Michael Arndt

Characters
Based on
by George Lucas
 Harrison Ford
 Mark Hamill
 Carrie Fisher
 Adam Driver
 Daisy Ridley
 John Boyega
 Oscar Isaac
Starring
 Lupita Nyong'o
 Andy Serkis
 Domhnall Gleeson
 Anthony Daniels
 Peter Mayhew
 Max von Sydow

Music by John Williams

Cinematography Dan Mindel
  Mary Jo Markey
Edited by  Maryann Brandon

 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Production
 Bad Robot Productions
companies

Walt Disney Studios

Distributed by
Motion Pictures
 December 14, 2015 (Los Angeles premiere)
Release dates  December 18, 2015 (United States)

Running time 135 minutes[1]

Country United States
Language English
Budget $200 million[2][3]
Box office $1.984 billion[4]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (also known as Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens) is
a 2015 American epic space opera film directed, co-produced, and co-written by J. J. Abrams. The
seventh installment in the main Star Wars film series, it stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie
Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall
Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams'
Bad Robot Productions and distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, The Force
Awakens is set about 30 years after Return of the Jedi; it follows Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron's
search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance, led by veterans of the Rebel
Alliance, against Kylo Ren and the First Order, successor to the Galactic Empire.
The Force Awakens is the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy announced after Disney's
acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. The film is produced by Abrams, his long-time collaborator
Bryan Burk, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, co-writer of
the original trilogy films The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), rewrote an
initial script by Michael Arndt. John Williams, composer for the previous six films, returned to
compose its score. Star Wars creator George Lucas served as creative consultant during the film's
early production stages. Filming began in April 2014 in Abu Dhabi and Iceland, with principal
photography also taking place in Ireland and Pinewood Studios in England, and concluded in
November 2014. It is the first live-action film in the franchise since Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of
the Sith, released in 2005.
The Force Awakens premiered in Los Angeles on December 14, 2015, four days before its
release across North America. Critics compared it favorably to the original trilogy, praising its action
sequences, characters, acting, special effects, musical score and emotional drama, though some
criticized it as derivative. It received five Academy Award and four BAFTA Film Awards nominations.
The film was widely anticipated, with Disney backing it with extensive marketing campaigns;[5][6] it
has broken many box office records, attaining the highest-grossing worldwide opening of all time
and reaching $1 billion faster than any other film. As of January 31, 2016, it has generated a global
box office revenue of over $1.9 billion, becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise, North
America, and 2015, as well as the third-highest of all time.[7][8] Two sequels, Episode VIII and Episode
IX, are scheduled for release in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
Plot
Approximately 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker, the
last Jedi, has disappeared. The First Order has risen from the fallen Galactic Empire and seeks to
eliminate Luke and the New Republic. The Resistance, backed by the Republic and led by Luke's twin
sister, General Leia Organa, opposes them while searching for Luke to enlist his aid.
Resistance pilot Poe Dameron meets village elder Lor San Tekka on the planet Jakku to
obtain a map to Luke's location. Stormtroopers under the command of Kylo Ren destroy the village
and capture Poe. Poe's droid BB-8 escapes with the map, and encounters a scavenger, Rey, near a
junkyard settlement. Ren tortures Poe using the Force, and learns of BB-8. Stormtrooper FN-2187,
unable to kill for the First Order, frees Poe, and they escape in a stolen TIE fighter; Poe dubs FN-2187
"Finn". They crash on Jakku, and Finn appears to be the only survivor. He encounters Rey and BB-8,
but the First Order tracks them and launches an airstrike. Finn, Rey, and BB-8 flee the planet in a
stolen, rundown ship, the Millennium Falcon.
The Falcon breaks down, and is captured by a much larger ship, piloted by Han Solo and
Chewbacca, who reclaim their former vessel. Gangs seeking to settle debts with Solo board the ship
and attack, but the five escape in the Falcon. The gangs inform the First Order of Han's involvement.
At the First Order's Starkiller Base, a planet converted to a superweapon capable of destroying star
systems, Supreme Leader Snoke orders General Hux to use the weapon for the first time. Snoke also
questions Ren about the involvement of his father, Han Solo; Ren protests that Han means nothing
to him.
The Falcon crew view BB-8's map and determine it is incomplete. Han explains that Luke
tried to rebuild the Jedi Order but went into exile after an apprentice turned to the dark side and
destroyed all that Luke had built. They travel to the planet Takodana and meet with cantina owner
Maz Kanata, who can help BB-8 reach the Resistance, but Finn wants to flee on his own. Rey is
drawn to a vault and finds the lightsaber that belonged to Luke and his father Anakin Skywalker
before him. She experiences disturbing visions and flees into the woods. Maz gives Finn the
lightsaber for safekeeping.
Starkiller Base destroys the Republic capital and fleet. The First Order attacks Takodana in
search of BB-8. Han, Chewbacca, and Finn are saved by Resistance X-wing fighters led by Poe, but
Rey is captured by Ren and taken to Starkiller Base. Ren interrogates Rey about the map, but she
resists his mind-reading. Discovering she, too, can use the Force, she escapes her cell with a Jedi
mind trick. Leia arrives at Takodana with C-3PO and reunites with Han and Chewbacca.
At the Resistance base on D'Qar, BB-8 finds R2-D2, who has been inactive since Luke's
disappearance. As Starkiller Base prepares to fire on D'Qar, the Resistance devises a plan to destroy
it by attacking a critical facility. Leia urges Han to return their son alive. Using the Falcon, Han,
Chewbacca, and Finn infiltrate the base. They lower its shield, find Rey, set explosives, and
encounter Ren. Han confronts Ren, calling him by his birth name, Ben, and implores him to abandon
the dark side. Though conflicted, Ren kills Han. Enraged, Chewbacca shoots Ren in the side and sets
off the explosives, allowing the Resistance X-wing fighters to attack and start a chain reaction that
destroys Starkiller Base.
The injured Ren pursues Finn and Rey to the surface. Finn battles Ren with the lightsaber,
but is overpowered and badly wounded. Rey takes the lightsaber and fights Ren, overpowering him
with the Force before they are separated by a fissure. Snoke orders Hux to evacuate and bring Ren
to him, while Rey and Chewbacca escape with Finn in the Falcon. On D'Qar, the Resistance
celebrates while Leia, Chewbacca, and Rey mourn Han's death. R2-D2 awakens and reveals the rest
of the map, which Rey follows with R2-D2 and Chewbacca to an island on a distant planet. She finds
Luke and presents him with the lightsaber.

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