Trailer Park: Star Wars Episode 7

Oh yes...




And in 88 seconds, it's like the king has taken back his throne. Everyone knew the return of Star Wars to the big screen after the disappointment of the Prequels and George Lucas' retirement would be a big deal, but what I find interesting about this teaser is how low-key it plays everything. Nothing would immediately shout Star Wars in the beginning. There's no Lucasfilm logo, no John Williams score, not even a familiar character's face.

It's much slower, starting with that deep voiceover (itself a rarity in trailers these days) talking about an awakening. And I'd imagine that'll be the overridng tone of this film's marketing, of a slumbering giant coming back to life. That's an apt metaphor for Star Wars on screen, the franchise has been laying down since the prequels burned out to rebuild its reputation and fanbase. So unlike last time with Phantom Menace, where a rousing success seemed guaranteed, this time they're playing things coy and trying to pull people in.

This teaser plays that out. They don't hit us with the iconography right off the back. There are things that seem familiar, but are different. The droid looks a little like R2-D2, but not exactly. The stormtroopers look pretty much the same, but the armor seems newer. The X-Wings are still there, but the pilots look different. All the familiar Star Wars imagery comes in bit by bit, building up to make the audience go, "Oh, is this what I think it is?" Then by the time the voiceover mentions the Dark Side and the villain? flashes on his lightsaber (something else familiar, but different) we're ready.

And that's when the familiar music roars on and the Millenium Falcon zooms on screen past the Tie Fighters. It's almost an afterthought, like the teaser is saying, "Yeah, Star Wars is back. The real Star Wars"

I like that. It's a cavalier approach, sure, but it feels fitting. The filmmakers know they really don't have work hard to get people excited about a new Star Wars, so they can afford to take their time. The audience is guaranteed just by the name. They have the luxury of playing things close to the chest and they're taking advantage of that. It's a smart move too. They could have easily made an action-packed trailer full of shout-outs and fan favorites, but that would have been premature. All their big surprises and reveals would have been blown and there'd be nothing to keep speculation and interest alive until release. This way is better long-term, building up to release instead of blowing it all out early.

The only question left is, what will they build on next? Stay tuned dear readers.