‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ First Trailer Released [VIDEO]

Continuing from the momentum built by last year’s excellent Rogue One, Star Wars is returning to its mainline story arc this year. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the eighth numbered installment in the groundbreaking series, and its first trailer was released today during a celebration of the franchise.

THE FIRST LOOK AT STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Star Wars fans will recognize familiar faces from The Force Awakens, including Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo Ren, with Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac and Adam Driver reprising their respective roles. Moreover, they’re sharing the screen with another familiar face: Mark Hamill, who’s portraying an aged Luke Skywalker.

The teaser depicts a conversation between Rey and Luke, the latter of whom will be mentoring the former. “Breath,” Luke says. “Just breath.”

As Luke instructs Rey to “reach out,” the pebbles surrounding her hand begin to levitate, implying that she’s learning to channel her newfound powers. Rey, upon being asked, tells her teacher what she sees: “Light. Darkness. The balance is so much bigger.”

The visuals frequently shift to different scenes and locations, with ominous glances of a crushed Sith helmet and Kylo’s continued misdeeds. The trailer closes with a statement: “It is time for the Jedi to end.”

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will fly into theaters on December 15, 2017. Additionally, the film’s poster can be seen below: