"Something funny is definitely going on. We're getting to the bottom of it," read a message on Fandango. 
 
 Fandango and Movie Tickets were among the sites crashing Monday as users tried to secure presale tickets for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 
 
 Tickets to director J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated film were made available for purchase Monday, hours earlier than anticipated. But some Fandango users got a "site maintenance" message after trying to click on a desired screening time. 
 
 "Something funny is definitely going on," read a message on Fandango's site. "We're getting to the bottom of it." 
 
 Similarly, some Movie Tickets' users saw a screen reading "Web server is returning an unknown error," while an Imax error screen blamed heavy traffic volume and directed users to Fandango and Movie Tickets. Imax had not yet begun to sell tickets, waiting until a new trailer for the film aired during halftime of ESPN's Monday Night Football. 
 
 A Fandango rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
 
 The film, which stars Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, opens in theaters Dec. 18. ||||| Han Solo believes in the Force and the Jedi. Kylo Ren worships at the altar of Darth Vader, which might confirm some spoilers flying about on the Internet. John Boyega may be well on his way to becoming a Jedi, and the junk scrounge Rey (Daily Ridley) is definitely more important than we've been led to believe. 
 
 And Han and Leia -- contrary to Internet rumors -- reunite. At least for a serious hug. 
 
 Disney and Lucasfilm released the third and likely last trailer for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" on Monday night, the same night they started selling tickets for the highly-anticipated film. 
 
 While the trailer didn't give away too much, it did possibly confirm some plot rumors while disgarding others. 
 
 The new poster for upcoming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." (Disney via AP) 
 
 What we can see if that that special effects will be incredible while the computer-generated action will give way to real sets and real humans with real human emotions. 
 
 We also see what looks like Kylo Ren dueling Finn (Boyega) with lightsabers. Which could mean Finn isn't the amateur everyone thinks he is. 
 
 And, like the first official movie poster released Sunday, there wasn't much Luke Skywalker in the trailer. We got some Luke in the second one, but his role is still pretty mysterious at this point. The poster and new trailer may seem to suggest the rumors of him spending years in exile are true. Which would probably be a good set-up for the whole "the Force awakens" stuff. 
 
 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" hits theaters Dec. 18. And not a moment too soon. 
 
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 Tony Hicks writes celebrity commentary for the Bay Area News Group. Contact him at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks or Twitter.com/tonyhicks67 ||||| The first full trailer for "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens" premiered on ESPN during halftime of "Monday Night Football." 
 
 It has a whole lot to offer running at over two minutes, as it highlights many of the main characters we will follow in this chapter of the saga. From new ones like Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) to favorites like Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). 
 
 Watch it here: 
 
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 Tickets are now available at online movie-ticket sites and theaters. 
 
 "The Force Awakens" opens in theaters December 18. ||||| If you've been paying close attention to social media this weekend, you might have spotted a few quick teaser trailers from both Disney and the Star Wars Twitter account showing off new footage from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." 
 
 Fans got a glimpse of Rey (Daisy Ridley) looking worried at TIE Fighters taking over the sky, and Finn (John Boyega) meeting Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) as the battle begins. We also got another scene of the droid BB-8 peeking around corners and rolling fast. 
 
 Disney and Lucasfilm also released the new Sunday. It held clues that got fans excited but also raised questions about the obvious exclusion of Luke Skywalker. 
 
 If all that wasn't enough, fans will also get a new trailer in the US during halftime on ESPN's Monday Night Football, which will surely make us all feel like kids again. 
 
 Monday is also the day to buy "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" tickets for opening night worldwide -- though some international territories may already have some tickets on sale. 
 
 Below are some of the bigger promotions various US-only theaters are holding as part of an official Star Wars Marathon Event that includes exclusive giveaways. Be sure to visit StarWars.com for more details on participating theaters and their locations. 
 
 Enlarge Image Photo by Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET 
 
 At Alamo Drafthouse, for example, fans can grab two exclusive, limited "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" collectible items: an officially licensed Mondo-designed pint glass and the collector's issue of the magazine Birth. Movies. Death. It pays tribute to 40 years of the Star Wars saga. 
 
 At AMC Theatres, each Sunday from December 20 to January 10, fans who buy a ticket for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in IMAX 3D will receive an AMC-exclusive "Star Wars" print from artist Dan Mumford. Each week a new poster will be revealed. 
 
 International fans should check with their local theaters for special events and giveaways, as the release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is a global event, after all. If fans from around the world know of other special events happening in Europe, Australia, Asia and other places, feel free to let us know in the comments below. 
 
 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters in Europe and Australia on December 17 and on December 18 in the US.
– The new Star Wars trailer debuted at halftime during ESPN's Monday Night Football, and immediately became a force to be reckoned with both on social media and ticket sites that crashed during presales for its Dec. 18 opening. Fandango and Movie Tickets both had issues after offering tickets even before the trailer aired for the JJ Abrams-directed The Force Awakens, the Hollywood Reporter notes. Fandango users got hit with a "site maintenance" message, while Movie Tickets customers received an error warning. Imax, meanwhile, waited patiently until after the halftime show to start its selling spree, but also had problems and had to funnel people to the other two sites. Meanwhile, buzz about the movie was one for the cosmos, making it hard to find a non-Star Wars-related tweet for a couple of hours after the trailer aired. The clip—which Business Insider called "glorious" and the San Jose Mercury News deemed "spectacular with surprises"—blasted plenty of computer-generated special effects off the screen, as well as close-ups of newbies John Boyega as Finn, the franchise's new hero, and Daisy Ridley as female scavenger Rey (Ridley got emotional herself watching the trailer). And, to everyone's great pleasure, there was a Han Solo-Chewie appearance, as well as a rumor-busting interaction between Solo and Princess Leia, the Mercury News notes. See the full trailer below. (This couple should have made Dec. 18 their wedding date.)