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'Star Wars Episode VII' X-Wing Revealed by J.J. Abrams (Video)

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X-Wing Starfighter
Director J.J. Abrams revealed the new design of the X-Wing starfighter in a video for UNICEF. (Image credit: Star Wars: Force for Change)

"Star Wars Episode VII" director J.J. Abrams is giving fans of the franchise their first look at the new movie's updated X-Wing — a starfighter flown in the original trilogy — in a new video.

The video shows Abrams standing next to the X-Wing, explaining a new reward as part of the "Star Wars: Force for Change" campaign to benefit UNICEF. If you donate to UNICEF through the "Star Wars" campaign this week, you could have the chance to win an advanced screening of the new movie before its expected release in December 2015. People who donate to the campaign could also win the opportunity to visit the movie set and even have a role in the new film.

"By supporting 'Force for Change' you could win a private screening of the movie in your hometown and invite 20 of your closest friends and family," Abrams said in the video. "We know how much 'Star Wars' means to so many of you, and we'd like to share the movie with you first while supporting this truly great cause."

To donate to the campaign and see the full video visit the "Force for Change" website: http://www.omaze.com/experiences/starwars-episode-vii

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Miriam Kramer
Miriam Kramer
Staff Writer

Miriam Kramer joined Space.com as a Staff Writer in December 2012. Since then, she has floated in weightlessness on a zero-gravity flight, felt the pull of 4-Gs in a trainer aircraft and watched rockets soar into space from Florida and Virginia. She also served as Space.com's lead space entertainment reporter, and enjoys all aspects of space news, astronomy and commercial spaceflight.  Miriam has also presented space stories during live interviews with Fox News and other TV and radio outlets. She originally hails from Knoxville, Tennessee where she and her family would take trips to dark spots on the outskirts of town to watch meteor showers every year. She loves to travel and one day hopes to see the northern lights in person. Miriam is currently a space reporter with Axios, writing the Axios Space newsletter. You can follow Miriam on Twitter.