Hopefully we don't have to revisit this thread after TFA is released, but I thought it might be worth getting fears out in the open now so that we aren't surprised if the movie is a giant letdown. I know this is a bit of a downer, but some discomfort can be a good thing.

In no particular order:

- TFA (and the sequels in general) feels completely disconnected from or narratively irrelevant to Episodes 1-6
- Daisy Ridley can't carry the weight of the film
- The OT characters make too many winky references to previous events (Indiana Jones 4 syndrome)
- Harrison Ford phones-in his performance
- Carrie Fisher delivers a performance that makes you want to claw your eyes out or become deaf
- JJ Abrams' action sequences are too "busy" - either too much going on or the camera work is too distracting
- The film has heart but lacks the balletic wit of the OT
- John Williams makes some references to OT cues, but delivers a consistently underwhelming score
- Maz Kanata is Jar Jar Binks 2.0
- Kylo Ren is Darth Maul 2.0 (looks awesome, fights awesome, has great presence but is criminally underused)
- The film tries to do too much to please fans and devolves into OT callbacks
- There's no explanation for why a planet that has the exact same environment as Tattooine is called Jakku (not so fussed about this, though it is weird why they'd do that)
- The film tries to pack too much into one instalment and loses focus
- The Emperor is cloned
- Another Death Star
- Use of flashbacks
- Anthony Daniels plays an over exaggerated version of C-3PO (as he has on the cartoons)
- The script finds no room for the droids
- Every new character is somehow related to an older character (with the exception of the Skywalker chain)

I'm afraid, and almost certain, that this movie doesn't stand a fucking chance.
It could be the greatest thing since 1980, and people are still going to proclaim it "teh worse starwar evah!!@1"

The number one fear I have, which has been the case since this whole thing got announced, is the story. How can anyone construct the continuation of a story that makes sense after the fairy tale happy ending of Return of the Jedi, without completely castrating everything that happened in that film? I really, really hope this film doesn't turn out to be "let's attach another movie onto the saga because Disney has to repay its investors." The flow through all 6 existing movies is brilliant, poetic and logical, and I have a hard time seeing how TFA can do that. I really hope I'm wrong.

Any of the OT gang referring or mentioning in any way PT concepts like "padawans or midichlorians," seeing any winks or nods to Jar Jar, corpse or otherwise, and this notion that we're only getting about ten seconds of Luke is REALLY starting to irk me.

Also changing things just for the sake of changing stuff. Why are they no longer called the Empire or Rebels?? Not necessary.

I would imagine that's because the Empire no longer has an Emperor, and that the Rebels are no longer rebelling against the defeated Empire...

Jar Jar is the chrome commander

A major concern of mine is that Leia will be walking round with that goldfish pout in every scene....while im sure JJ will have tamed Carrie considerably for the movie...to be blunt, & not wanting to sound like a big moaner, at her panel at Celebration this year...she was off her breasts!

I think Leia's screen-time will be kept to a bare minimum.

but the empire is still around though. still got Stormtroopers, still got Star Destroyers. it's an unnecessary change just for the sake of being different.


oh, and what else could go wrong is if the big bad guy of the series is called SNOKE!

Still around, or making a comeback?

And again, there is no Emperor. Hence, not an "Empire" anymore.

And we don't know who or what "Supreme Leader Snooky" is all about. Supreme Leader of what? The New Order? A particular planet or system? Princess Leia's laundry?

supreme leader I guess is akin to Gran Admiral? Actually Grand Admiral is more of a Major player where supreme leader is "the" major player. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine AKA Darth Sidious
Supreme Leader Snoke AKA Darth Uber Mensch

I'm not digging the names so much but Im sure they will grow on me

In terms of names, I am both surprised and unsurprised that no one has mentioned either Chewbacca the Wookie or "Guy Loner" Han Solo. As CoGro alluded to with Boba Fett, the iconic status of these characters has overcome the inherent goofiness of their names. In this regard, Kylio Ren might be the new Boba Fett.

It's possible that some of the announced character names are aliases. So, we made need to restart this discussion after watching the movie.

"Chewie, we're home" was more ROTJ Han/KOTCS Indy (ugh) than SW/ESB Han. Granted he's much older now, but Han would never say anything like that. Chewie would be the one to show emotion, Han would just be cool about it.

SW/ESB Han also loved his ship more than any living person.

Agreed.