As for speculation - I think the story is going to revolve around a group of planets/systems who are resisting the First Order. The force part will revolve around some sort of coming together of Rey and Kylo. Some sort of revelation that the old way of Jedi and Sith was too polarized and that the light and dark are supposed to work together rather than be at odds. I don’t see any romance between the two, but more of a team feeling in how they work it out. I see Poe taking Leia’s role in the Resistance while Leia, in a much reduced part, will be trying to build alliances. If there is a big ending, I expect her there. The new characters are interesting. Two new female characters and a one male. One seems to be very much a Leia replacement and probably is someone over Poe. The other seems to be another one of the team. I have no idea who Richard E Grant is playing. But not all the characters should be on the good side and he makes a delicious villain.