If you think back to 2014, 2015, with "The Force Awakens," Disney and Lucasfilm were more forthcoming with footage, casting, and story details early on. They didn't lay out the entire plot of the movie, but they released first-look images and tidbits here and there by virtue of the fact that "Episode VII" marked the first of a new trilogy set in the galaxy far, far away. That's no longer the case. Now, we're in the thick of it after "Rogue One," announcements for the Han Solo prequel, and even more films in the works.

With eight months to go before the Mouse House unleashes the next chapter in the Skywalker Saga, Friday's panel at Star Wars Celebration Orlando offered the very first details, images, and footage. Here's what we learned.

When asked what Johnson brings to the franchise, she hailed his "uniqueness" and his writing abilities. "He writes amazingly fierce and independent women," she promised. "He's also got a great sense of humor."

2. Expect Some Great New Locations
Production returned to Skellig Island, where J.J. Abrams shot the final moments of "The Force Awakens" with Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Kennedy also name-dropped the Dingle Islands. "We were up and down the West Coast of Ireland," Johnson recalled of all the enthusiastic fans they met. The movie also will feature what, according to the trailer, looks like white sand salt flats.

"The performance she ends up giving, you guys are gonna find that an amazing tribute to her talent." Johnson added that he "connected with first and foremost as a writer." He'd go to her house and read the script with Fisher on her bed, with their chats becoming "stream of consciousness, jam poetry, ad lib sessions."

"He will be back in 'The Last Jedi' and he's not playing this time," John Boyega promised. He also teased a question later in the panel: "Is he gonna be a part of The Resistance or is he gonna keep running away from The First Order?" The movie will reportedly focus on Finn finding his place in a post-"TFA" world.

7. More Finn and Poe Bromance
Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) couldn't make it out for Celebration, but Boyega promised their characters' relationship will grow in the next movie. "Poe's my boy," he said. "There's always a new adventure for us to go on."

8. Plot Details (Ish)
Be prepared for things to get intense real fast. Though The Resistance was able to destroy Starkiller Base, The First Order was still able to destroy much of the Republic. According to Johnson, this has "thrown the galaxy into chaos" and the sinister regime will be pouncing on this by "making some big moves at the start of the film."

She explained that Rose is a maintenance worker for the Resistance, but what Johnson wanted was someone to emulate Luke's journey in becoming "this unlikely hero." He explained Rose is "not a soldier, not looking to be a hero, and gets pulled into a very big way into an adventure in this movie."

12. The Trailer Made Us Feel All Kinds of Ways
"Just breathe. Now reach out. What do you see?" Luke's voiceover says as the trailer begins.

The preview opens with an exasperated Rey stumbling out of a cave on the island where she found the Jedi-in-hiding. One might presume this cave operates similarly to the one from "Empire," where Luke experienced visions in the woods of Dagobah.

From there, we see quick shots of: Rey levitating the debris around her with The Force; General Leia with her back facing us while aboard a sleek new ship; what appears to be Kylo Ren's now-destroyed mask in a puddle of steaming glass; Rey training with her lightsaber at the edge of a cliff with Luke; new ships (with one clunker) racing towards what looks to be AT-ATs or AT-ACTs in the distance; Finn recovering, Poe and BB-8 running as their base erupts into chaos; the Millennium Falcon under attack; and Luke and R2-D2 watching what may be the burning of a Jedi temple first glimpsed in a trailer for "Force Awakens."

Watch it all again (and again) below.

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" hits theaters December 15.