Read opinion columnist Ryan Clarke's point on why Episode VII will make a new generation of fans.
Everyone, take a deep breath. It's going to be OK. Just know that the newest adventure in "A galaxy far, far, away" likely isn't shaping up to be like your father's Star Wars series.
No doubt, you've probably already seen the new trailer for "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens," under the direction of sci-fi extraordinaire J.J. Abrams, about 15 times.
But what is perhaps most ironic is the fact that the trailer itself has become a spectacle on its own merit, as have two of its parodies: one inspired by George Lucas CGI binges and even one that pays homage to Abrams's love affair with lens flare.
But what Disney should have understood when it acquired Lucasfilm two years ago was the elevated expectations that come with adding another chapter to one of the most popular and storied film franchises of all-time..
“There is pressure because it’s Star Wars and all Star Wars needs to be fantastic,” Lucasfilm executive and writer Kiri Hart told the Wall Street Journal.
Like the wildly profitable Marvel series, and the Wu Tang Clan, Star Wars isn't something to mess with.
The so-called "expanded universe" and spinoffs of the feature films have been a great outlet for fans to express their own creative interpretations — what's the film industry if not a massive impressionistic canvas?
But it's critically important that the Star Wars franchise, as a significant cultural and cinematic paragon, maintains its integrity and doesn't stray from its humble ethos and charm that helped it win over American viewers in the 1970s and beyond.
Some of the imagery in this first trailer is suggestive of a divergence from classical Star Wars, and it's hard not to notice: The already controversial crossguard lightsaber, the soccer ball-droid, and unknown speeder-vehicle whizzing off into what may or may not be the Tatooine desert.
I'm just as excited as anyone else to see Episode VII. I grew up wearing Luke Skywalker Halloween costumes and even played with pod-racer lego sets after "The Phantom Menace" (arguably the worst of the original six) set the second trilogy in motion.
I'll be watching intently, albeit not with the same maniac fixation of astronomy geeks who were upset with potential scientific inaccuracies in "Interstellar," but I do hope they'll keep Lucas's original ambition in mind.
My concern is that the story that made the original trilogy what it was may be lost in the shuffle of newfangled, Disney-fied characterizations, and given that the audience for this film includes children that have not experienced life without the Internet, it mustn't trade its character for extra on-screen glitz.
If this movie doesn't completely recapture the essence of the old films with the returning trio of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, we can hope that our generation will heed some pertinent advice from none other than Yoda himself.
"Always pass on what you have learned."
Reach the assistant sports editor at smodrich@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @StefanJModrich
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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