5 Things We Learned From the New ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Poster

Ahead of tonight’s premiere of an all-new trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, fans were treated to a new poster, which you can see below.

One of the first things that stands out about the poster is the dramatic red/white color scheme, with the last film in the Skywalker saga, The Force Awakens, embracing the outer space themes that were prominently used in Drew Struzan’s posters for the prequel films.

If you’re willing to look a little more closely at this all-new poster, there are a few clues worth pointing out that could lead to some interesting developments in The Last Jedi.

The Battle of Crait

The distinct look of this new poster is thanks to the emphasis on Crait, a planet we’ve seen teased in some of the earliest footage shown of the film.

Very little is known about the planet and how it relates to the film, but the incorporation of the planet on the official poster, in addition to the massive walkers and ships we see above the surface, hint that a battle of epic proportions will unfold on its surface.

The battle will incorporate Resistance ski-speeders facing off against the First Order’s AT-M6 walkers, which is sure to be one of the most exciting and visually compelling sequences in the film, no matter when in the movie the battle unfolds.

Leia

It’s hard to adequately put into words the importance Leia and actress Carrie Fisher had on the lives of so many Star Wars fans, and The Last Jedi will be the last time she appears in the Star Wars saga following her tragic death late last year.

On the poster, Leia is featured front and center, one of the only characters who doesn’t need to be mirrored with another character. Other characters might appear larger, but no other character is considered her “equal” and considered a reflection.

In most of the discussions about Leia’s importance in the film, her character has been somewhat downplayed. The focus of the previous film was Han Solo, with The Last Jedi aiming to feature Luke more prominently while Episode IX was intended to focus more on Leia.

It’s unclear whether her prominence on the poster is a tribute to the actress or reflective of her role in the film, but either way, it’s a touching tribute for an iconic actress.

Poe and Finn

Beginning with Struzan’s posters for the Special Edition releases of the original trilogy, Star Wars posters have been heavy on symmetry.

Starting with Rey and Kylo and then followed by Chewbacca and the Praetorian Guards, then into Rose and General Hux, there’s an established left vs. right, good vs. evil pattern at play. With both Luke and Leia appearing central in the poster, this seems to imply their importance outweighs any simple good vs. bad distinction.

A notable exception to this possible separation of good and evil comes in the form of Finn and Poe, with Poe being on the side of evil. More than likely, this was probably done merely out of maintaining balance of the composition as opposed to implying Poe turns evil, but this could also be an omen of things to come.

Luke Looms Large

The overall composition and symmetry of the poster isn’t the only thing that looks reminiscent to Struzan’s work on the Special Edition releases and prequel films, as Luke’s massive presence immediately looks familiar to another poster that Struzen created for the series.

Luke’s hooded figure looks remarkably similar to Vader’s presence on the above poster which could be a stylistic choice or could hint at how father and son will have similar destinies.

In the previously released teaser for The Last Jedi, Luke claims that the Jedi must end, while also showing Rey training on Ahch-To with Luke. The relationship between Luke and Rey is unclear, so whether he’s training her to embrace the Light side or the Dark is unknown. It’s also possible he’s merely helping her hone her abilities, regardless of what side she ends up using those abilities for.

Phasma vs. Droids

One of the most visually compelling characters from The Force Awakens, Captain Phasma, was given very little screentime, making many audiences underwhelmed by the character’s appearance. Familiar characters, like C-3PO and R2-D2, were also barely given any screentime, leaving fans wanting more.

While some elements of The Force Awakens might have differed from expectations, we were given compelling villains like Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke and also given the incredibly adorable droid BB-8, who has become one of the most beloved characters in the entire saga.

On the new The Last Jedi poster, the good vs. evil symmetry is continued with our hero droids on the left and Phasma and BB-9E on the right. With these characters not getting as much screen time as some had wanted in the last film, their appearances on this new poster hint that we’ll get much more of these compelling characters in the new film.

More The Last Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in theaters December 15.