( CNN ) Here you go , galaxy . The Force is back . At an emotional event in Anaheim , California , director J.J. Abrams and the `` Star Wars : Episode VII -- The Force Awakens '' cast showed off for the audience and then capped the presentation with the trailer for the new film . The audience gasped , cheered and applauded . The cast was appreciative of the welcome . `` You 're more than fans . You 're family , '' Mark Hamill told the crowd . Carrie Fisher was also there , though without her trademark Princess Leia hair buns . They 're `` retired , '' she said . Airline unveils 'Star Wars ' 787 Dreamliner painted like R2-D2 . Also introduced : `` Star Wars '' emoji , some new Stormtroopers and the BB8 , the soccer-ball-like droid that rolled around the stage , to the delight of the audience . It was n't CGI , either , as much of the movie , Abrams said , was filmed on actual sets . Twitter erupted with near-instantaneous reaction , most of it enthusiastic . CNNMoney : 'Star Wars ' teaser sends Twitter into lightspeed . The new `` Star Wars '' is due out December 18 . CNN 's Henry Hanks was in the audience . Here are his five top takeaways from the event : . 1 . Han flies again . The trailer ended in a big way , with Han Solo and Chewbacca having apparently arrived after a flight on the Millennium Falcon . The reaction in the room of fans was nothing short of rapturous upon seeing Harrison Ford back in character as Han . A few burst into tears at the end of the the 110-second teaser . 2 . That 's not Tatooine . Abrams revealed that their shooting location was not meant to represent the Skywalker ancestral home of Tatooine , as many believed . Instead , it 's a planet called Jakku , where much of the early action of the movie takes place . Daisy Ridley 's Rey meets up with a stromtrooper , Finn ( John Boyega ) and that 's where the adventure begins . 3 . Hints of Luke and Leia . Oscar Isaac dropped a major hint that his pilot character of Poe is sent on a mission by `` a princess , '' and we 're fairly certain which one he meant . Leia and Luke are n't seen in the trailer , but we hear Luke 's unmistakable voice as he passes along a lightsaber , presumably to other Skywalker family members . Carrie Fisher also teased her new wardrobe , and promised no metal bikini . 4 . There 's less CGI than in the prequels . Abrams said he was proud that `` you can watch the movie and see what it is '' before the effects wizards at Industrial Light and Magic did their work . And yes , the new droid BB-8 ( who was a fan favorite at the panel ) is not CGI . 5 . The ruins of the Empire are all around . A crashed Star Destroyer can be seen at the opening of the trailer , as well as a look at Vader 's charred helmet . Chills . Creating the sounds of 'Star Wars ' CNN 's Henry Hanks contributed to this story .
The new `` Star Wars : Episode VII -- The Force Awakens '' trailer is released . A fan gathering in Los Angeles featured the cast and a droid . The movie comes out December 18 .