New Skeleton Crew trailer: A coming of age story set far, far away

Star Wars has a habit of dropping trailers when we least expect it, so the new Skeleton Crew trailer surprised fans this morning.

The new trailer teases a coming-of-age tale of sheltered youths who exchange comfort for danger, adventure, and self-discovery in a galaxy full of unexpected challenges. The show borrows from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment tales. These were coming-of-age stories set in the 80s, which is the trailer's overwhelming vibe. I was also reminded of the 2017 adaptation of Stephen King's coming-of-age horror novel, IT.

Besides the coming-of-age trope, here are some of the things that stand out from this trailer:

Visually a step up from previous shows

Skeleton Crew promises to be a cut above other live-action shows in terms of visuals. Whether it's the visual of the abandoned ship blasting the kids off their home planet, the distant shot of a rocket blasting off, an unknown planet as its backdrop, or the space station with a shot of hundreds of ships, there's something different about Skeleton Crew. I'm not sure what the show's budget was, but from the trailer, it doesn't appear to be a show where any expenses were spared. Although the show's target audience is kids, the stunning visuals should appeal to Star Wars fans of every age.

The Mandoverse connection isn't obvious:

Jon Watts and Christopher Ford are sure of their product, which is why there's no obvious attempt to connect it to the Mandoverse. Sure, it's set in The Mandalorian era, and a few New Republic X-Wings popped up, along with Jude Law's warning of dangerous pirates we met during Mando Season 3. Otherwise, the show will do its own thing, and if someone had told me it was set hundreds of years after The Mandalorian, I would've believed them.

The advanced state of the kids' home planet suggests a location in the Inner Rim, where worlds tend to be more developed and interconnected. It must be one of the core worlds, and their upbringing likely didn't prepare them for the lawlessness of the outer rim, where The Mandalorian takes place. The lack of an attempt to perfectly connect it with Mando is a good idea and allows Skeleton Crew to carve its unique identity.

Lots of unexpected Easter eggs:

From Old Republic credits to rare antiquities, Skeleton Crew is an Easter egg hunt for Star Wars enthusiasts and fans of every Star Wars era. I'm more interested in the final few seconds of the trailer, in which the kids find themselves in a room full of old artifacts, including carvings on the wall and a mask. Is this meant to be a Sith artifact and a nod to the Knights of the Old Republic? We'll have to wait and see, but this room reminds me of Luthen Rael's antique shop on Coruscant.

Overall, no one has mammoth expectations from Skeleton Crew, so the show has the potential to surprise everyone. Its sense of joy and adventure could be the recipe for a surprise holiday season hit for Star Wars.

Skeleton Crew premieres December 3 on Disney.