With the world eagerly awaiting the release of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens next month, American TV chat show host Jimmy Kimmel devoted Monday night's episode to the film.
He started the show by performing his opening monologue in front of a galaxy of stars, during which he joked, "Americans know more about Star Wars than we do actual wars".
Director J J Abrams and the film’s stars – including newcomers Daisy Ridley (who plays Rey), John Boyega (Finn) and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), and veteran Carrie Fisher (Leia) – took part, and Harrison Ford made an appearance as Han Solo.
Abrams said: “We have a couple more colour corrections, but we’re done. I can’t tell you the relief I feel.”
The director said a few close friends and family members have seen the movie and added: “It is a movie that will be a lot of fun to watch with a crowd”.
During his interview with Abrams, Kimmel asked the director to reveal one scoop from the movie. Abrams obliged and said the first spoken word in the film would be “this”.
Seven-year-old Arden Hayes, a Star Wars fan and former guest on Kimmel's show, joined the cast on stage to for a trivia contest about the franchise.
Hayes easily won and was given a wheelbarrow packed with Star Wars toys as his prize.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is expected to open in the UAE on December 17.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
