After the abomination of the three prequels, hardcore fans have a new hope - that the force will be strong in director J.J. Abrams, and not only will the empire strike back and the Jedi return - but that the franchise will be restored to its beloved origins.
Fans see the promise of that in the casting alone. The Force Awakens features many a welcome and familiar face - none more welcome than Han Solo.
The ying to Luke's yang, the "I know" to Leia's "I love you", Han Solo is the space cowboy all the girls wanted, and all our boyfriends wanted to be.
And now 38 years after he first charmed the world in the first Star Wars, Harrison Ford is back in The Force Awakens.
They never said being Han Solo was going be easy, and Ford was clear it was all worth it, as he's very proud of the new film.
The New Zealand premiere of The Force Awakens is next Wednesday night - with the hardcore fans amassing at midnight for the very first screening.
Watch the video for the exclusive interview.
