In an interview on Saturday, Nov. 21 with Stephen Colbert in Newark, New Jersey, director J.J. Abrams said that he has completed the final cut of the highly anticipated film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens: that morning at 2:30 a.m.
Last month, Abrams was asked at an Associated Press red carpet event about where he was in the filmmaking process, and he said that he was focusing on the special effects.
"The visual FX process goes on for so long, that my guess is that we'll probably be doing visual FX for the next three or four weeks, even though the cut will be done before then," he said.
Speaking to Colbert, Abrams did not reveal anything new about the film as the director is intent on keeping any spoilers tightly under wraps before the movie premieres next month. But he said that he toned down his use of lens flare for the upcoming film.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Abrams's use of the lighting effect has been criticized by fans, and the director revealed that even some family members have implored him to cut back on the effect. Abrams said that his wife saw an early cut of "Star Trek Into Darkness" and told him, "You know what? Enough!" after she could not identify an actor whose face was obscured by the lighting effect.
But Abrams said that the Star Wars movie will have the said effect, but only in moderation.
"'The Force Awakens' will have some lens flare, but only when it's unavoidable or necessary," he explained. "This is not the movie for that."
Meanwhile, the film premiered a new teaser clip during Pentatonix's performance at the American Music Awards last Sunday. The acapella group serenaded fans with the Star Wars theme song and Darth Vader's Imperial March theme, and while they performed, a 20-second teaser clip showing Rey and Finn running alongside BB-8 could be seen on screens in the Microsoft Theater.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" premieres on Dec. 18.
