Star Wars Celebration 2015 began yesterday, bringing together many of the saga's most dedicated fans to Anaheim, California for the 10th year the event. And this year is the biggest not because of the anniversary but because of how it's celebrating the return (and expansion) of the live-action film franchise.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens opens in theaters this holiday and so the kickoff panel of the Celebration was all about that, with Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars 7 director J.J. Abrams taking the stage to talk about the new movies (and new droids!), how they got involved in the new direction of Lucasfilm under Disney, and how this is just the beginning - a new beginning - of something special for fans new and old.

And it really was that for the new cast members Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac who took the stage and spoke about their new characters, before later being joined by original returning cast members Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher and a platoon of new and improved Stormtroopers. This was all just during the first one-hour panel of the four-day convention which houses a massive show floor with booths, activities and revealing displays (more on that later), a panel that concluded with the release of the second official Star Wars 7 teaser trailer!

Below are official high-res still from the new teaser followed by two pages of HD photos from the panel and behind-the-scenes of yesterday's Star Wars Celebration festivities.

[Click for HD image pages of each photo]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Finn

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Han Solo and Chewbacca

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - John Boyega

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Finn & Rey

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Finn & Rey

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Daisy Ridley

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Crashed Ship on Jakku

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Crashed Ship on Jakku

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Chrometrooper

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - BB8

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Tie Fighter Betrayal

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Stormtroopers

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - R2-D2

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - New Star Destroyer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - New Star Destroyer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Millenium Falcon

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Millenium Falcon

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Lightsaber

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Kylo Ren

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Next Page: Star Wars Celebration 2015 Panel Photo Gallery

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Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen and Max von Sydow alongside original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18, 2015. Star Wars: Rogue One opens December 16, 2016. Star Wars: Episode VIII opens May 26, 2017.

Source: Disney

 

 

Stage photos

 

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac
L-R: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Peter Mayhew

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Peter Mayhew
Peter Mayhew takes the stage with Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015
Anthony Daniels, director JJ Abrams and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Old Cast

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Old Cast

 

 

 

 

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Next Page: Star Wars Celebration 2015 Panel Photo Gallery

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Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen and Max von Sydow alongside original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18, 2015. Star Wars: Rogue One opens December 16, 2016. Star Wars: Episode VIII opens May 26, 2017.

Source: Disney

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Peter Mayhew

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Peter Mayhew

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Anthony Daniels, BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Anthony Daniels, BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, JJ Abrams, BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Kathleen Kennedy, JJ Abrams, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, BB8 and R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - R2-D2

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Anthony Daniels and Carrie Fisher

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Anthony Daniels

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Oscar Isaac and BB8

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - BB8

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - New Cast on Stage

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015 Crowd

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Daisy Ridley

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Daisy Ridley

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Droid Makers

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams and John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and JJ Abrams

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - JJ Abrams

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and JJ Abrams

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - John Boyega

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Kathleen Kennedy

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015 - Mark Hamill

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

The Force Awakens panel at Star Wars Celebration 2015.

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars Celebration 2015

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen and Max von Sydow alongside original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18, 2015. Star Wars: Rogue One opens December 16, 2016. Star Wars: Episode VIII opens May 26, 2017.

Source: Disney