Star Wars force ready to awaken in China

Box office record breaker Star Wars: The Force Awakens is slated to open in China on Jan 9 and hopes to bring a newer generation of moviegoers to the cinemas in the world second-largest film market.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday in Shanghai, J J Abrams, director of the film, said the new Star Wars saga has much in common with Shanghai, especially as both are a perfect blend of the old and new.

"Shanghai is an incredible city and someone can come here for the first time and see this amazing place and appreciate for what it is," said Abrams. "There is also a lot of history about the city that describes its transformation over the years."