In 1977, George Lucas brought his long-in-development passion project Star Wars to the big screen. Nearly four decades since its release, Star Wars continues to be a cultural touchstone making its presence felt in television, video games, comic books and cinema. As the years passed, Lucas tenure as the mastermind behind the Star Wars universe became a point of contention among long-time fans. The unrest began with Return Of The Jedi, which some Star Wars enthusiasts deemed an unsatisfying conclusion to the original trilogy. Discontent blossomed into full-on rebellion when Lucas prequel trilogy took the franchise down a path that alienated many diehard fans. Now, director J.J. Abrams has assumed control of the Star Wars universe. Recently, a trailer for Abrams entry in saga, The Force Awakens, has reignited Star Wars fans passion for their beloved franchise. The teaser seemed to capture the essence of the original trilogy in a way that none of the prequels managed to do. It may seem counterintuitive, but Abrams' new film might be more in touch with the spirit of the original trilogy than Lucas prequels. Can Abrams possess a greater understanding of what made Star Wars a megahit than Lucas himself? Here are eight signs that point to the answer being yes.
