“The new storyline, the new characters, and especially the actors that they chose to play them, are thrilling beyond words.” – Mark Hamill to FM magazine

The new-and-improved Famous Monsters magazine is back in December with a STAR WARS Spectacular Issue spotlighting Mark Hamill’s insightful interview with FM Editor David Weiner, featuring brand-new details about returning to a galaxy far, far away in STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS.

EXCERPTS FROM MARK HAMILL’S ALL-NEW INTERVIEW IN FM #283:

• ON THE BASIC CONCEPT OF THE FORCE AWAKENS: “It is about setting up the next generation of heroes and villains, but the fact that half a dozen cast members from the originals can be there to place it in some sort of context, to be there for the historical side of things, I think it’s wonderful. … Young people can see the progression of the characters. I’m old enough to be Luke’s grandfather now, and that’s a healthy, natural thing for people to see.”

• HOW FORCE AWAKENS WILL FEEL DIFFERENT: “I think [THE FORCE AWAKENS] could be every bit as exciting for the audience, [but] it’s not going to be like it was then, when we’re rattling around in the Death Star, and exchanging quips, and jockeying for the affections of the princess. It’s going to be age appropriate. The story has moved on, and our purpose in the story is different than it was then.”

• FILMING FORCE AWAKENS AT THE SAME AGE AS ALEC GUINNESS: “Intellectually, I know I’m the same age as Alec Guinness. Emotionally, I’m thinking, “Are you kidding me?!? I still like The Three Stooges and the Rolling Stones. How could I be old?”

• ON HIS APPRECIATION FOR FM MAGAZINE: “Famous Monsters really played an important part in my life, and in my decision and my belief that working in the areas that I wanted to pursue was a possibility at all. … [It] was something that was very, very special to me, and the fact that it’s been around for more than half a century is a testament to its importance in the pop-culture world.”

THERE’S MUCH MORE IN THE FEATURE, INCLUDING:
• Hamill exclusively reveals the surprising, one-of-a-kind birthday gift that director J.J. Abrams gave him.
• Hamill weighs in on the STAR WARS anthologies with his top choice for a spin-off movie character

NEW INTERVIEWS AND EXCLUSIVES IN FM #283 ALSO INCLUDE:

• Oscar winner Martin Landau gets candid on the challenges and triumphs of making Gerry Anderson’s SPACE: 1999 on the show’s 40th anniversary in our exclusive interview.

• FLASH GORDON star Sam J. Jones details the making of the 1980 cult fave and his career trajectory/rebirth thanks to the magic of Seth MacFarlane’s TED.

• THE X-FILES creator Chris Carter previews Mulder & Scully’s January TV return for FM.

• KRAMPUS writer/director Michael Dougherty and the film’s funnyman, David Koechner, tell us all about the anti-Santa and the creative process behind the film.

• THE WALKING DEAD’s Greg Nicotero previews what’s next for the AMC juggernaut.

• THE SHINING twins Lisa & Louise Burns share tales from the set of the Stanley Kubrick horror classic.