There are some very high expectations for the JJ Abrams-directed Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens when it hits theaters on December 18. The space epic is already being predicted to rake in a global $500m on its opening weekend, according to a Tuesday article from The Hollywood Reporter. That's more than the $483m record set by the final Harry Potter film - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 - in 2011. Scroll down for trailer . The film could make over $2 billion: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens  released its trailer on Thursday to a packed audience at California's Anaheim Convention Center; here Harrison Ford appears as Han Solo alongside Chewbacca . 'If it pleases the fans of the old movies and also appeals to kids, watch out,' box-office analyst Phil Contrino told the publication. 'Force Awakens will hit $1 billion without blinking. If it's really good, it could cross $2 billion.' Already Disney and Lucasfilm are working overtime to drum up interest in the scifi extravaganzat that's full of Stormtroopers, Jedis and lightsabers. Ancient: The opening shot of the trailer reveals a speeder on the planet Jaku, where a crashed Star Destoyer and X-Wing are buried in the sand . The second trailer was released on Thursday to massive fanfare at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim. The one minute 51 second trailer was unveiled by Abrams with stars Fisher, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega looking on. The clip is the first time Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford, has been seen on film since 1983's Return of The Jedi. He is joined by Chewbacca at the end of the trailer and heard saying, 'Chewie, we're home.' Burned: An unknown pair of hands hold the melted mask of Darth Vader, apparently retrieved from his funeral pyre at the end of Return Of The Jedi . Familiar? A hooded unknown character with a robotic arm, possibly Luke Skywalker, is seen reaching for R2D2 . Passing it down? We see a lightsaber - which looks exacly like Luke's from A New Hope - being handed over, strongly suggesting Skywalker has had a child . Fly boys: An X-Wing squadron is seen racing along above water . Red leader: Oscar Isaac whoops as X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron, still bearing the rebel insignia on his helmet . Amboee Brand Intelligence is reporting a global debut of $533.2 million to $539.5 million. They're basing their prediction on how well the Star Wars trailer is trafficking online. And they are impressed by how it has done much better than the trailers for both Furious 7 and Fifty Shades Of Grey, which have been massive international hits. In trouble: Daisy Ridley plays Rey and John Boyega is Finn - they are seen fleeing a pursuing TIE Fighter on the Jaku . New baddie: The mysterious wielder of the much-discussed crucifix lightsaber is revealed, using the Force while wearing a mask . It is already being assumed that Force Awakens will get the widest release ever, meaning at least 4,500 locations in North America. The Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart vampire saga Twilight: Eclipse went out in 4,468 screens. Disney did not comment to the Reporter. And the competition won't be stiff either. The other films coming out that weekend are Sisters, Universal's Tina Fey-Amy Poehler comedy. New Empire: The new Stormtroopers form ranks in front of a new insignia that is reminiscent of the old Imperial one . New look: Modern TIE fighters are seen flying in formation above the desert planet, possibly in pursuit of Finn and Rey . The trailer opens on what appears to be the newly revealed desert planet Jaku (or Jakoo), as a speeder races across the sands we see an ancient downed Star Destroyer and a skeletal X-Wing, which clearly crashed there from orbit decades ago. We then see a an unknown pair of hands holding the mangled mask of Darth Vader, melted and disfigured from the Sith lord's funeral pyre at the end of Return of the Jedi. We hear a voice - believed to be Mark Hamill's - reprising a line from the 1983 film: 'The force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. My sister has it.' Ambush: A base filled with Stormtroopers and TIE fighters comes under attack from unseen assailants . Revealed: Fans already knew Boyega's character was a Stormtrooper - or at least posed as one - since November's first teaser trailer . A hooded figure with a robotic arm, very likely Luke Skywalker, reaches out and lays a hand on R2D2 as John Williams rising score plays in the background. We then see a lightsaber changing hands between two more unseen characters, as the voice finishes: 'You have that power too' - a strong suggestion Luke Skywalker has had a child. The lightsaber itself looks exactly like the one Luke inherited from Obi Wan Kenobi in A New Hope, but lost when Darth Vader cut off his hand above at the climax of The Empire Strikes Back, suggesting the weapon was somehow retrieved from below Bespin's Cloud City. Upgrades: A number of ships from the old Imperial fleet are seen, including this Star Destroyer . Elite: One of the most intriguing images from the trailer was this unknown troop, wearing a black version of the Stormtrooper armour . Then in a flurry of quick scenes we see Oscar Isaac as pilot Poe Dameron flying with a squadron of X-Wings above water; His helmet and flight suit still bear the Rebel insignia from the original series. Suddenly a hooded figure swinging the much-discussed 'crucifix lightsaber' at the camera; before John Boyega and Daisy Ridley as Rey and Finn are seen fleeing a TIE fighter blasting at them from above the desert planet, while the new rolling droid BB8 trudles speedily beside them. Passenger: The rolling droid BB-8 is spotted inside the Millennium Falcon, peeking around a corner . She gets into more than she bargained for: Rey gets involved with Finn and also crosses paths with Isaac's character, it was learned . It is then we get our first proper look at the masked villain wielding the red lightsaber as he performs a Force push, while Stormtroopers mill about him in amid a fiery background. We then appear to get a glimpse of what has become of the Empire - a squadron on the new look Stormtroopers form rank in a snow-covered location beneath a new black and red insignia reminiscent of the old Imperial one, surrounded by gun batteries and parked TIE fighters, while a sole figue can be seen on a stage way in the background. Immediately we get to see the new look TIE fighters in action as a pair fly in formation above the sand, before a base filled with the former Imperial troops and falls under attack. Helping hand: This appears to be the moment Finn and Rey meet - as both actors confirmed in the Q&A they become allies in the film . Bucket of bolts: Fans got to see the Millennium Falcon in action once again, as it is pursued by two TIE Fighters . Executor? The ship is chased into the inverted ruins of a Super Star Destroyer, which also appears to have crashed on the desert planet . One of the TIE fighters seems to attack its own base, suggesting it was commandeered by whomever the troops are fighting against. As the explosions rock the base we see one Stormtrooper remove his helmet to reveal John Boyega, a plot point fans were aware of having spotted him in the uniform in the fist teaser trailer back in November. As the trailer continues, more and more evidence of surviving elements of the supposedly toppled Empire are revealed, including at least one operating Star Destroyer, although all the ships seen appear to have been modified or updated in the decades that have past since Return Of The Jedi. I have you now: The TIE fighter pilot fires upon the Millennium Falcon as it chases the ship that once belonged to Han Solo . Homage: This shot is a clear nod the pursuit of the Falcon through the second Death Star at the climax of 1983's Return Of The Jedi . One of the most intriguing shots was of a new character wearing a black version of Stormtrooper armour, perhaps some sort of elite troop, who wore a cloak over one shoulder similar to fan favourite Boba Fett. This image is followed by one of BB-8 peeking around a corner in thr interior of a ship that is surely the Millennium Falcon. During the Q&A session at the fan panel in Anaheim, John and Daisy had confirmed that their characters form an allegiance and the trailer appears to show that moment as Rey stand's above an exhausted Finn - presumably after fleeing from the Tie fighters - and extends an arm in friendship. In character: The actors in costume for the adventure; Daisy wore the same style of togs Mark Hamill wore as Luke in the first Star Wars . A new look: Several scenes from The Force Awakens were shared; this one shows Boyega in his Stormtrooper outfit . The penultimate shot of the trailer shows the Millennium Falcon - whose pilot is as yet unknown - being pursued across Jaku by a pair of TIE fighters, presumably the same ones that were chasing Finn and Rey. They chase the ship, once (and possibly still) owned by Han Solo into the belly of an enormous ruined inverted Super Star Destroyer. In one of the teasers many nods to the original films besides, the sequence mirrors the final battle above Endor when the Falcon was flown into the heart of the second Death Star. During the panel, JJ talked about his love of the franchise. 'I was 11 years old when Star Wars come out,' he said. 'That moment transported me. It was the first time a movie made me laugh that way.... the film was brilliant and had such heart and the biggest thing for me was that it had such hope. 'Shooting in Abu Dhabi was an incredible thing. Shooting Star Wars is a Western and a fairy tale... shooting in Abu Dhabi was just that,' he added. They were generous with their photos: JJ is seen here giving direction to Daisy who was atop a platform . Everyone loves a good creature: The audience cheered when JJ flashed this image where he is working with Chewbacca on set . He is still rolling along: Abrams (left) and Kennedy (right) with the tech guys who make R2D2 work . A lot of work goes into making a good droid: One of the 'tinkerers' that had a hand in making the units for the December movie . Walking tall: Also shared was a full-length shot of Oscar in his flight gear that included the standard orange suit . Committed to his move: Abrams explained he liked shooting Episode VII in Abu Dhabi, which subs not for Tatooine but rather another new planet . This robot already has a fan base: BB-8 appeared in the first trailer in November and was an instant hit . A very good pilot: Isaac, seen in his aircraft, said he is sent on a mission by a princess .
The film opens December 18 and stars vets Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher .
The space epic is predicted to make more than the final Harry Potter movie .