The Cute Rolling Ball Droid In The New Star Wars Is A Real Robot Not CGI

The Cute Rolling Ball Droid In The New Star Wars Is A Real Robot Not CGI

Perhaps the best part about the new Star Wars trailer was seeing BB-8, the adorable rolling ball robot in the new Star Wars movie, bounce and roll itself across the screen. It looked so familiar and so cute and so perfect as the new movie’s answer to R2-D2. And the best thing about it? BB-8 is a real robot and not CGI.

Awesome, right? Just like how R2-D2 was created in our favourite Star Wars movies from the past, BB-8 is made with practical effects and not computer generated. CGI has its use and place but it’s nice to see the throwback to using ‘real’ objects to fake special effects. I also love the idea of inventing an awesome rolling ball of a droid.

Mark Hamill reveals the tidbit in an interview with Yahoo Movies:

I’m sure he loved the new little droid that’s a rolling ball. I’m sure he wants it under the tree this Christmas. They never cease to amaze me with what they’re able to come up with, you know? I said, “How are you ever gonna top R2-D2, the most adorable droid in movie history?” And then they have this new one. I can’t even tell you his name, but you saw it in the trailer. And when they were demonstrating how they did this thing, live on set — because it’s not CGI, that’s a live prop — I was just amazed. They let me play around with it. I was running it all around at the creature shop up in Pinewood. I’m telling you, it’s an absolute delight. And not having thought that I’d ever go back there, to go back into that world, is just — I get the chills. It’s just so much fun.


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.

At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.