A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away … the “Star Wars” series was thought to have ended with the death of Emperor Palpatine at the hands of Anakin Skywalker, thus restoring peace in the universe. However, Disney has obtained the franchise and is currently creating a seventh film for the series titled “The Force Awakens.”

Peter Beck, a “Star Wars” fan for 34 years and math teacher, said that he expects to see the movie, to be released this Friday.

“I would love to see it continue the direction of what was written in the books, and that’s where you get to learn that Luke had turned to the Dark Side, but Leia went and pulled him out of the Dark Side,” Beck said.

Another big change that Beck is looking forward to is the fact that the new movie will be directed by J.J. Abrams rather than George Lucas.

“As much as I love George Lucas’s visions for stories, he’s a terrible director. I love Episodes IV, V and VI; all of them were produced by him but directed by somebody else. If you look at Episodes I and II just as an overall movie, it’s so disjointed. J.J. Abrams is known for his ability to really put together a quality story,” Beck said.

Edy Shou, “Star Wars” fan and senior, also has plans to see the movie.

“The ‘Star Wars’ movies are some of the most fantastic and memorable movies ever to be created, and after years of nothing, they come out with a seventh movie, a continuation of the story,” Shou said.

“The Force Awakens” is set 30 years after the events of “Return of the Jedi” and features returning characters such as Han Solo and Princess Leia. However, new characters also make their debut, such as Finn, who is introduced in the trailer as a Stormtrooper without a helmet. Finn is played by John Boyega and interestingly enough, is seen wielding a lightsaber against one of the villains in the movie. This points to rumors of Finn being a Jedi, an enforcer of peace who can wield a tool known as “The Force.”

In addition to Finn, another character makes her way into the movie. On the planet of Jakku, a female character, Rey, is living as a scavenger in the remains of a damaged AT-AT Walker used by the Empire. Although her role in the movie has not been made clear, the actress who plays her, Daisy Ridley, stated that Rey meets someone who begins her adventure. Could this mysterious person be Finn? It is possible, as both Finn and Rey are seen running together in the movie trailer.

The main villain goes by the name of Kylo Ren and also wields a unique lightsaber, one with a laser crossguard in addition to a blade. Despite looking like part of the Sith, an evil organization the famous Darth Vader was part of, Kylo Ren is actually a member of  the Knights of Ren, a dark organization that has based themselves off of the Sith. All members of the Knights of Ren take the surname of Ren, which explains the latter part of Kylo’s name. Kylo has to fill in the big villain role left by Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, but his appearances already give him an intimidating demeanor. The actor who plays Kylo is yet to be confirmed, but fan speculation point towards Adam Driver.

All of these new characters show a slight transition away from the traditional “Star Wars” story as depicted in the books that continue the story from the sixth movie. According to Beck, this change was expected.

“I know J.J. Abrams is taking it in a slightly different direction, kind of like he did with the ‘Star Trek’ movies, where it’s like an alternate universe. This is more of an alternate timeline, but it maintains a lot of the main themes,” Beck said. “Because it’s changed, I want to be entertained by the new story as it comes out.”

Shou maintains a more general expectation for the movie.

“Right now, all I am hoping to see is an interesting and intriguing story with little surprises on the way. Of course, I also want to see epic battle scenes,” Shou said.

Currently, there are various theories that have been sprinkled throughout the Internet in order to give more depth into the movie. However, both Shou and Beck said that they have not looked too deeply into those theories. Beck said that he has not done research on the movie because he wants to view the story in its entirety without it being spoiled by something on the Internet.

“The moment I knew it was an alternate timeline, I was like, ‘Okay I want all my expectations to be separate.’ I wanted to be entertained by the movie first and then go deeper into what really happened,” Beck said.

Shou also maintains this opinion. “I cannot say I am a huge fan (of) delving deep into the story, but I absolutely love watching the movies and I really await the newest addition.”