Founded in 1970, the San Diego International Comic-Con has long since surpassed the influence of the anime industry. The number and scale of blockbuster films and TV series promoted here are unmatched by any other convention. It's a place to discover the freshest, most explosive news and countless fellow enthusiasts.
All the major Hollywood studios go all out to grab attention at this "Oscars of the anime world," while fans from all over the world are about to experience unforgettable days.
From the start of the convention, all kinds of major news, leaks, and gossip exploded nonstop, leaving people overwhelmed. Everywhere, cosplayers, diehard fans, and geeks in dazzling costumes cheered enthusiastically.
As the most anticipated event of this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Force Awakens panel was held in the central hall. Not only did it mark the reopening of the saga after many years, but it was also the first Star Wars film since Lucasfilm and the rights to the series had been taken under Duke's banner. Naturally, its attention was off the charts.
It was no surprise that many fans had camped outside overnight — even that didn't guarantee a good spot. In fact, anyone who only lined up for a few hours would be embarrassed to call themselves a Star Wars fan.
Before the event began, anyone unfamiliar with the scene might have thought they'd stepped into some kind of religious gathering. Nearly everyone in the crowd — all dressed in cosplay — shouted in unison, "Let's! Go! Star! Wars!" while performing a human wave across the hall.
When director Duke, producers Kathleen Kennedy, Charles Roven, and Robin Grande took the stage, the cheers reached a deafening peak — a true definition of "bringing the house down."
"Here, I first want to introduce a very special guest."
Standing on the stage in the exhibition hall, Duke gestured toward the backstage. A middle-aged man dressed as a stormtrooper walked onto the stage. When he arrived beside Duke, the latter said, "This is Kevin. Like all of us, he's a Star Wars fan."
The man removed his helmet and waved to the audience below.
Duke continued, "To honor a lost love, Kevin walked nearly a thousand kilometers to Comic-Con wearing his stormtrooper armor — a journey made both for his beloved and for his own redemption."
The entire hall erupted in warm applause. Kevin, the Star Wars fan, had already become one of this year's Comic-Con's most famous figures.
For days, a sad yet moving story had been spreading across Comic-Con. The previous Thursday, a Star Wars fan dressed as a stormtrooper had walked more than 645 miles to the convention. Unlike others' fanatical stunts, his pilgrimage was a tribute to his late wife.
Fifty-six-year-old Kevin Doyle was born in Minnesota and worked as a designer and illustrator in Minneapolis. A long-time Star Wars fan, he met his wife Erin in 2009 through the Star Wars cosplay club "The 501st Legion." Erin was a comic artist who loved drawing Star Wars-themed art. Their shared passion quickly brought them together.
In 2009, he proposed to her dressed as Darth Vader. The following year, they held a grand Star Wars-themed wedding — even the flower girl was an R2-D2 robot. But just a year after their marriage, Erin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
In November 2012, at the age of 45, Erin passed away. Having finally found his soulmate who shared his passions, Kevin was devastated by how short their time together had been. Unable to accept the loss, he quit his job, fell into despair, and developed self-destructive thoughts.
Earlier this year, he visited the Star Wars Museum in Petaluma, California, both to see old friends and to tour the exhibits. With The Force Awakens set to release that year, he noticed that San Francisco was exactly 501 miles from Comic-Con's location in San Diego. He felt a voice inside him — as if his wife was urging him to walk there.
With camping gear packed and pushing a three-wheeled cart, he set off wearing white stormtrooper armor. Most of the time, he didn't wear the helmet — it made it hard to see or hear. He only put it on for photos with passersby. Though the map showed a straight-line distance of 501 miles, the coastal California route was about 645 miles. He walked 20 to 45 miles a day.
Kevin updated his journey on his Twitter and Instant Share accounts under "501 Mile Walk," with "Walking in memory of Erin" written on his back. Along the way, strangers cheered and embraced him in encouragement. When he finally reached Comic-Con, the organizers and Duke's crew greeted him with the highest honors and made him the true leader of "The 501st Legion."
Of course, no one could deny that Kevin also brought enormous publicity to Star Wars.
After Kevin stepped off stage, Duke shared with fans a new outer-space character named Baba Joe — even bringing it "onstage" in person.
"Although this movie relies heavily on CG technology," Duke said, standing before the Baba Joe model, "I still wanted the actors and myself to feel a sense of reality. I hope this Star Wars film contains as many tangible sets and practical elements as possible."
He continued with an update on the film's progress: "Most of the footage has been shot, and the visual effects work has begun. Many scenes are now in their final polishing stage. The first trailer will be released this fall."
From the start of the convention, the big reveals had been nonstop.
Afterward, Star Wars veterans Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, along with new cast members Daisy Ridley, Daniel Wu, Oscar Isaac, Lee Pace, Gwendoline Christie, and Domhnall Gleeson all appeared on stage.
When Harrison Ford — the final guest — walked onto the stage, the audience broke into thunderous applause.
As "Princess Leia" Carrie Fisher, "Han Solo" Harrison Ford, and "Luke Skywalker" Mark Hamill stood together, it was impossible to tell whether the fans' tears were from joy or nostalgia. Thirty years had passed in the blink of an eye…
To maximize attention and ensure the film's box office would exceed expectations, the production team, Lucasfilm, and Warner Bros. had all put in tremendous effort. Duke himself was working harder on publicity than ever before, serving as the host on stage throughout the event.
"When Star Wars first came out, I was 11 years old. It never left my mind. I'll never forget that moment — when I heard the words, 'A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,' followed by that incredible music…"
Holding the microphone, Duke built up the excitement for the event to follow, fully energizing the crowd. "That moment changed me. It was the first time a film made me laugh, made me believe that there could be such a wonderful other world. George Lucas's brilliance lies not only in creating the Star Wars saga — what's more important is that the film has a soul. To me, the most important thing about it is the hope it carries."
When asked about directing The Force Awakens, Duke admitted he'd hesitated. "At first, I refused. It was such a daunting challenge and I'd already spent years making sci-fi films. I wanted to step away, to do something different. But when Kathleen Kennedy and I sat down to discuss what this film could be — what it might become — I unexpectedly agreed. I thought I'd say no, but somehow I just couldn't."
When a fan representative asked about the new film's visual effects, Duke replied directly, "Come on — this is Star Wars! Of course there'll be tons of effects. But you want it to feel real — that's our goal. Even before Industrial Light & Magic's effects were added, the raw footage already looked great. The story itself was enough to carry it, and you could understand everything."
He didn't mention the hardships of filming — especially in the Abu Dhabi desert, where Luke Skywalker's home planet scenes were shot. With temperatures reaching 128 degrees Fahrenheit, the conditions were far harsher than fans could ever imagine.
Then came the climax of the entire event. The beloved R2-D2 was the first to appear, drawing thunderous applause from the Star Wars fans present. Behind R2-D2, the round little BB-8 rolled directly onto the stage.
While the fans were still astonished, BB-8 circled R2-D2 once, showing off actions such as a full 360-degree head rotation and even a "cute backward glance." The audience was instantly charmed — the hall erupted in the loudest laughter and applause of the day.
With almost no effort, BB-8 had become the highlight of the convention.
Many fans had also submitted their most anticipated questions for Duke in advance. One asked how he planned to satisfy the millions of fans who "treat every Star Wars film as if it were the last."
"You can't make everyone happy. Even though we've worked really hard, I have to admit, sometimes the pressure is still intense," Duke said calmly on stage. "We can't let down the reputation of this series, but at the same time, we have to tell a brand-new story. That's the most important part of our work."
Then he added, "Of course, the audience matters most."
Many of the actors also spoke about their roles — particularly Lee Pace, who played the film's main villain. Through his comments, the production team revealed a small hint about the character for the first time.
"We didn't really discuss whether this character is purely evil during filming," Lee Pace said thoughtfully. "In fact, between good and evil, there are many other possibilities."
As planned, Duke and Harrison Ford then jointly unveiled the film's first official poster.
The poster featured the Millennium Falcon in the background, with an older Han Solo and Princess Leia gazing at each other with deep affection. Below them was a striking line — "We're home."
Upon seeing those words, many Star Wars fans at the venue were moved to tears.
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