Carrie Fisher

We’re less than two months out from the next Star Wars film and you can practically taste the anticipation. But just in case you need more reasons to get totally hyped for The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm has revealed a new still and dropped a new behind the scenes video that takes us right to the top-secret Star Wars set...

There’s a lot to miss about the late, incomparably great Carrie Fisher: Her delightful screen presence, her sharp contributions to screenwriting, her brilliant wit and unapologetic candor, and her advocacy for those suffering from mental health problems and addiction. She was, for lack of a better word, a badass. And the legend of her awesomeness lives on through those who loved her, like Heather Ross — a screenwriter and friend of Fisher’s, who recently shared an amazing story about the time she was sexually harassed by a studio executive, and the artist occasionally known as Princess General Leia exacted revenge on her behalf.

Sit down and take a deep breath: the second trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is here.

While you wait (very patiently, right?) for tonight’s premiere of the latest trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm has revealed a new poster to tide you over — okay, it’s probably not going to make you any less anxious to peep that new trailer, but it’s something. Like the previous posters, this one is all about red, capitalizing on what was easily the coolest shot in the first trailer.

We’re only months away from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and already, it’s beginning to feel like a film that will be unbearably sad for all the wrong reasons. The loss of Carrie Fisher will be made fresh by her appearance in the upcoming film, and seeing her alongside Mark Hamill for the last time  —  one assumes, anyways  —  will be a touching moment for any fans of the Star Wars franchise. No less touching will be the opportunity for Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd to share the screen with her one last time. All in all, The Last Jedi will be the ultimate Star Wars family reunion, biological and otherwise.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s opening in theaters is guaranteed to be one of the most exciting events of the year, and also guaranteed to be overcast by the untimely death of Carrie Fisher. All of her work on the film was completed before she passed away, which may even make watching her onscreen even more difficult. We’ve heard that The Last Jedi greatly expands her role in the franchise, and in a way it gives the actress an appropriate send-off.

Decades after the release of the original Star Wars films, it’s a testament to the power of the franchise that we’re still capable of discovering new things about some of our favorite characters. Take Leia Organa, for example. Fans who have rooted for her based on the events the original three films have found a whole new reason to root for her as the leader of a Star Wars anti-terrorism unit, but now we’ve learned something new about her character: she’s also one of the most learned characters in the entire Star Wars universe, and has been for a very, very long time.

The biggest question going into Star Wars: The Last Jedi is how the movie will deal with Carrie Fisher’s passing. She had finished all of her scenes for the movie before her death last winter, but the series would be remiss if she wasn’t given a proper sendoff. We still don’t know if another actress will play General Leia in Episode IX, or if she’ll be somewhat written out of it, but John Boyega says she’s given her due in The Last Jedi.

While Disney might be holding back some of its best stuff for Comic-Con this year, that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few Star Wars: The Last Jedi teasers that they could share at this past weekend’s D23. Just yesterday, we were treated to a new featurette that went behind the scenes of the production; right on the heels of that comes these new character posters, a beautiful new mix of familiar faces and bright colors. It’s not exactly the brand new trailer that some were hoping for, but it should keep us occupied until the next opportunity presents itself.

Carrie Fisher’s death was a monumental tragedy not just for her fans, but for her whole Star Wars family, who all had a hard time managing the loss of someone so vibrant. Plus, the question lingered about the final episode: Fisher’s work on The Last Jedi had been completed before she died, but what about Episode 9? From the looks of it, General Leia’s character may be recast, which is for the best, because apparently Leia has a pretty huge role in the final movie.