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The trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released on Monday, meeting criticism from some who believe the film represents “White genocide.”

The hashtag #BoycottStarWarsVII began to trend on Twitter shortly after the trailer was released. Snagging J.J. Abrams as director, The Force Awakens boasts actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega as the main leads. With a White female and a Black male displayed on promotional posters and throughout the trailer, Twitter “trolls” accused the film of pushing a multicultural agenda.

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The racist trolls were a very small group, but the hashtag got picked up by supporters to point out previous examples of diversity in the Star Wars trilogies. Black actors have been key characters throughout the films, with Billy Dee Williams starring as Lando Calrissian, Samuel L. Jackson as Jedi Master Mace Windu, and James Earl Jones providing the voice of the franchise’s biggest character, Darth Vader.

Director Ava DuVernay also chimed in with the hashtag #CelebrateStarWarsVII to silence trolls and celebrate the film’s diversity. The cast also includes Oscar Isaac, who is Guatemalan-American, and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, who is Mexican-Kenyan.

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Abrams also fired back with a friendly note.

Check out the trailer below. The film opens in theaters December 18.

SOURCE: USA Today | VIDEO CREDIT: YouTube, Inform 

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#BoycottStarWarsVII: Racist Twitter Trolls Claim New “Star Wars” Film Promotes White Genocide  was originally published on newsone.com