While he didn’t admit it fully due to legal papers he’d signed, Kevin Smith revealed on the latest episode of his Hollywood Babble On podcast that J.J. Abrams has shown him “a chunk” of Star Wars: The Force Awakens – and he was very praising of what he saw.

“I saw a buddy of mine, a filmmaker friend, who is making this movie that is so fucking wonderful,” the director says. “And I saw a chunk of it. And it was… spellbinding. It’s the only way I can describe it. It’s like, I love movies and sometimes I over praise them and shit, but this is the only way I can describe this: it was like – not figuratively, literally – being transported to the fountain of youth. And having the fountain of youth taking me back to 1977. First time I saw a picture called Star Wars. I can’t say much more.”

His co-host Ralph Garman pressed him for more information, but Smith said that he had to sign papers to not say anymore. When Garman asks if he was talking about Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Smith said that he was “talking in code”.

“There’s a lot of hope out there,” he continued. “But there’s still that cynical edge that’s still leaning forward in their seats and saying, ‘could it be? Did he do it?’ And I fucking promise you – as I hold back the tears – he beyond fucking did it.”

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set for release on December 17th in the UK and December 18th in the States and sees J.J. Abrams directing returning stars Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar), in addition to Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year), Andy Serkis (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Ken Leung (Lost), Miltos Yerolemou (Game of Thrones), Max von Sydow (The Exorcist), Jessica Henwick (Spirit Warriors), Christina Chong (24: Live Another Day), Simon Pegg (Star Trek) and newcomers Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen.