In the past, "Star Wars" has attracted a heavily male audience, but with this installment, Abrams cast Daisy Ridley as the primary protagonist for the express purpose of attracting more female viewers.
"'Star Wars' was always a boys' thing and a movie that dads could take their sons to, and though that's still very much the case, I was really hoping this could be a movie that mothers could take their daughters to, as well," he said. "I'm looking forward to kids seeing this movie and seeing themselves in it and seeing that they're capable of doing things that they never imagined possible."