With less than three weeks until Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits movie theaters, director J.J. Abrams is still danging tidbits of information over our heads. In his latest tease, casually mentioned on last night's The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Abrams let slip that he has collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda — the creator of hit musical Hamilton — to produce new cantina music for Episode VII.
For one, Abrams' comment confirms that The Force Awakens will have at least one cantina scene: good news for fans of weird aliens, death sticks, and altercations that end with arms being sliced off. A New Hope's cantina scene still stands as one of Star Wars' most memorable moments, introducing a suite of figures that would go on to become full-fledged characters and races in the expanded universe, from salt-obsessed Arcona, to hammerhead Ithorians, through Duros, Chadra-Fans, and the brain-sucking Anzati. The Mos Eisley cantina was sold as the most wretched hive of scum and villainy in a city notable for its scum and villainy, and served as the perfect place to introduce Han Solo, a man whose own villainy was only abated by friendship, money, and the love of a princess.
We did. Worked on it between 6pm & 7:30 on 2 show days for the past 2 months. JJ is the best. Can't wait to see. https://t.co/pPYu8nRsxI
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) December 1, 2015
But while the idea of changing the iconic cantina song — memorably performed by famous Bith jizz-wailers Figran D'an and the Modal Nodes — is fairly blasphemous to Star Wars fans, Abrams has chosen a top-tier composing partner. Miranda's Hamilton is a musical unlike most of its peers: vital, smart, and with a positive message about the tumultuous birth of the United States. Though given Miranda's tendency to star in his own productions, perhaps we won't be getting Figran D'an back again. Maybe it'll be more of a Sy Snootles situation, with Miranda grabbing the microphone and mugging for the camera, sporting bright red lipstick.