last jedi

While they may not have rolled out the trailers exactly when we wanted them, Disney and Lucasfilm have managed to tease ‘Star Wars’ fans with incredible behind the scenes sizzle reels at some of the biggest conventions of the year. During San Diego Comic-Con 2015, we saw the awesome practical effects of ‘The Force Awakens’. Then in 2016, Star Wars Celebration kicked off with a trip back in time thanks to ‘Rogue One’. And now during the 2017 D23 Expo, it’s time for ‘The Last Jedi’ to shine.

Earlier today, the cast and crew of the next epic adventure from a galaxy far, far away descended upon the Anaheim Convention Center to talk about the upcoming ‘Episode VIII’. Led by writer/director Rian Johnson, returning cast members Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, and newly inducted Disney Legend Mark Hamill were joined by franchise newcomers Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio del Toro to discuss the highly anticipated project and some of what we can expect in theaters later this year. And while they didn’t bring new footage in the form of a trailer, they did break out another epic behind the scenes sizzle reel that showed off a number of aliens, ships, and massive explosions. It was also a bit bittersweet as we saw clips of Carrie Fisher as General Leia in what would be her final film before her untimely and devastating passing last year.

You can check out the reel courtesy of the Star Wars YouTube channel below:

Of course, we see some action from the cliffs of Ahch-To where we last left Rey as she tried to deliver a lightsaber back to Luke Skywalker, shots of the Millennium Falcon, and other fan favorite characters from throughout the universe created for these iconic movies. But in addition to that, we see a ton of new stuff like Dern’s Resistance officer Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, Tran’s Rose going undercover within the First Order with Finn, and so much more.

And then there’s this little dude, who we know absolutely nothing about yet want to hug:

Basically, excitement is at an all-time high for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’. So while we anxiously wait for a real trailer to be released, let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments.

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ hits theaters on December 15th, 2017.