"Star Wars" fans that filed into Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday didn't get to see any new footage from "The Force Awakens," but director J.J. Abrams didn't come empty handed. Instead, he screened a nearly four-minute behind-the-scenes feature that included cast interviews and filming on set.
"We aren't ready to show you scenes from the movie or a new trailer," Abrams told the audience, "but we wanted to bring something that was as unique and unexpected as we could."
Mark Hamill, who will reprise his role as Luke Skywalker, starts the video, which shows how the movie recorded on film, used "real sets" and chose more "practical effects" rather than filling in the holes with CGI.
"You've been here, but you don't know this story," Hamill says. "Nothing's changed really. I mean, everything's changed but nothing's changed."
Abrams was joined on the SDCC panel by LucasFilm Kathleen Kennedy and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan as well as cast members Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Carrie Fisher, Hamill and Harrison Ford, who made his first public appearance since he crashed his plane in March.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" hits theaters on Dec. 18.
Watch the behind-the-scenes clip below:
