New STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Pictures from Entertainment Weekly

So, no new trailer yet for "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens", but Entertainment Weekly did manage to provide a nice surprise in the form of 9 new images from the film. Pretty much every new character is shown, including the mysterious Sith Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the two beloved droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Besides Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), which we've already seen in previous images, EW provides a first look at Domhnall Gleeson's character General Hux, the leader of The First Order.

Director J.J. Abrams offered some more details regarding Kylo Ren in an interview:

"The movie explains the origins of the mask and where it’s from, but the design was meant to be a nod to the Vader mask. Ren is well aware of what’s come before, and that’s very much a part of the story of the film. The lightsaber is something that he built himself, and is as dangerous and as fierce and as ragged as the character."

The film also stars Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Andy Serkis, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong'o, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters on December 18, 2015.

UPDATED: Added hi-res versions of most of the images.

Check out the new images after the jump.

Official Synopsis

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opens in theaters December 18, 2015. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan & Abrams, and features a cast including actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. They will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. The film is being produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk, and John Williams returns as the composer. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is Episode VII in the Star Wars Saga"

---

     RELATED POSTS :

• STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS - Vanity Fair Photos Offer New Character Reveals
• New STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Teaser Trailer, Poster and 53 Images
• STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Character Names Revealed
• STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Teaser Trailer and Images
• Alexandre Desplat to Score STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE
• STAR WARS Spinoff Titled ROGUE ONE; Episode VIII Release Date Announced

---