Vanity Fair has unveiled four new magazine covers to celebrate the 40th anniversary of ‘Star Wars’, featuring the cast of ‘The Last Jedi’, including a stunning portrait of the late Carrie Fisher.
Ahead of the release of ‘Episode VIII’ later this year, the film’s key players are featured in a new photo-shoot, helmed by esteemed photographer Annie Leibovitz, who famously shot Caitlyn Jenner in a picture spread for the same magazine.
The first cover sees returning star Mark Hamill alongside ‘The Force Awakens’ newbie Daisy Ridley.
Their characters - Rey and Luke Skywalker - met at the very end of ‘Episode VII’ and it’s expected their relationship will be explored even further in the follow-up.
Their co-stars John Boyega and Oscar Isaac both feature in the second cover, alongside newcomer Kelly Marie Tran, who joins the ‘Star Wars’ cast as Resistance member Rose Tico for the latest instalment.
Also pictured is lovable droid BB8, who we’d quite happily see get his own separate photo-shoot closer to the film’s release.
Some fans couldn’t help but spot a particularly unusual detail about Finn’s clothing in his picture, particularly given some of the ongoing “shipping” that’s gone on in some corners of the ‘Star Wars’ fandom:
Turning to the Dark Side (or, more accurately, the First Order), sci-fi baddies Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson and Gwendoline Christie are all present on the third cover, which offers ‘Star Wars’ fans their first glimpse of Captain Phasma without her mask on.
Finally, the especially poignant fourth cover sees the late Carrie Fisher, who returned to the ‘Star Wars’ series as General Leia in the most recent instalment.
The long-serving actress, who died in December last year, is pictured looking particularly regal in her solo shoot:
‘Star Wars’ fans are still in for a bit of a wait for ‘The Last Jedi’, which isn’t released until 15 December, though Disney did recently unveil the full-length trailer, to tide devotees over until then.
The special covers will hit newsstands on 6 June, with more photos available to view from Wednesday (24 May) over on Vanity Fair.
