20 Plus Star Wars: The Force Awakens Easter Eggs

With Star Wars: The Force Awakens now in theaters, check out a batch of Easter Eggs featured in the movie.

Obvious spoilers follow if you haven’t seen the movie.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has a December 18, 2015 release directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

• Simon Pegg plays the junk dealer, Unkar Plutt, who pays Rey her rations and wanted to steal BB-8.

• James Bond Daniel Craig plays the Stormtrooper who Rey uses the Jedi Mind Trick on to escape.

• In one scene on the Millennium Falcon, when Finn and Rey are looking for parts, Finn holds in his hand the sphere used to train Luke in the use of the Lightsaber, the Marksman-H combat remote.

• Finn accidently turns on the Holochess game.

• JJ Abrams gave two of his friends roles as Stormtroopers: Alias and Lost composer Michael Giacchino, and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, who play Stormtroopers FN-3181 and FN-9330, respectively.

• Poe Dameron is named after Abrams’ daughter’s toy polar bear (named Po) and his assistant, Morgan Dameron, who has a role as a Resistance officer.

• Warwick Davis, who played Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, is featured in The Force Awakens as Wollivan, a tavern-dweller in Maz Kanata’s bar (he’s the short creature with the short, pink snout and the puckered eyes).

• Boba Fett’s flag (and others) is featured in the first scene walking to Maz Kanata’s place. I also speculate there were no bounty hunters in the movie because Boba Fett didn’t first appear until the second movie released, Empire Strikes Back (so it’s safe to assume we’ll see them in Episode VIII).

• 30 Rock actor Judah Friedlander plays one of the patrons in Maz Kanata’s bar.

• Another bar patron is Star Wars fan D.C. Barns, who won a background role in the movie through the Force For Change charity raffle.

• Kevin Smith is confirmed (via EW) to be a part of The Force Awakens by providing his voice for a character.

• Thomas Brodie-Sangster, of the Maze Runner movies, plays First Order Petty Officer Thanisson.

• Greg Grunberg, known for Lost (and Heroes Reborn) and friends with Abrams since Kindergarten, plays X-Wing pilot Snap Wexley.

• Ken Leung, another Lost alumnus, plays Resistance Admiral Statura.

• JJ Abrams father plays Captain Cypress.

• JJ Abrams grandfather, Harry Kelvin, gets a mention with Rey telling BB-8: “Niima Outpost is that way. Stay off Kelvin Ridge. Keep away from the sinking fields to the north or you’ll drown in the sand.”

• Carrie Fisher’s daughter, Bille Lourd, plays Lieutenant Connix.

• Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz provide the voice of BB-8.

• Kylo Ren’s real name is revealed to be Ben —  as in “Ben Solo.” Get it? Also, possibly named after Ben Kenobi.

• Snoke tells Ren to bring him the girl, which plays off the Emperor telling Vader to bring Luke to him. Fun fact: Snoke is featured as a Hologram in The Force Awakens, with the designers having said Snoke isn’t really that large, but have said Snoke stands at 7 feet tall.

Update:

• Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda are featured in the Rey lighsaber vision scene.

It could also be argued the entire movie was one big Star Wars Easter Egg as it was a homage to many other instances and scenes in the Star Wars universe ranging from the Death Star; to familiar faces (Darth Vader’s mask, Admiral Akbar, Nien Numb); New Hope‘s trash compactor gets a reference by Han Solo; General Hux and Kylo Ren argue about the Clone Army), and lots more.

Spot anything we missed?