Empire’s original Star Wars: The Force Awakens Winter Preview issue covers were all about the light and dark sides of the force, but their subscriber’s cover provides a great close-up of the little droid that’s been the focus of most of the movie’s marketing so far (along with Kylo Ren): BB-8.
There’s also a couple of new behind-the-scenes stills featuring John Boyega as Finn. In the first he takes aim at an unknown target while still in his Stormtrooper gear, and in the other we see him in survival mode as he braves the desert wasteland of Jakku – a planet many still believe will actually turn out to be Luke’s homeworld of Tatooine.
Also starring original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker, along with franchise newcomers, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o and Max von Sydow, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set to be released on December 18th, 2015.
