Star Wars Episode 7: 10 Ways To Make It Great
9. New Lead Protagonist
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I don't know: something about having Mark Hamill back in the hot seat doesn't sit quite right. And I don't mean that just because he's old, but because having him front and centre doesn't seem like a good way of establishing a brand new trilogy for a brand new era. Because ultimately this episode will have to be designed as a movie which appeals to both fans and new audiences alike. So if the hero's journey is to be utilised to its full capacity, it's kind of essential that Star Wars: Episode VII has a new leading protagonist - another character who can get swept up in an adventure way beyond the bounds of their normal life. Whether or not the character is in any way related to a former Star Wars character isn't really the concern: as long as audiences are given the opportunity to follow somebody into the depths of the unknown, there's a far better chance that they're going to feel surprised and awed all over again. After all, we want this to be an experience akin to that of watching the original movie in a theatre for the first time.