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Banish 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' spoilers with this Chrome extension

Spoilers are consigned to the outer rim if you install this extension.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
Richard Trenholm
2 min read
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"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" features the return of...well, we won't spoil it.

Lucasfilm

With just a few weeks to go before "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" warps out of hyperspace and into theatres, the last thing you want is to have the story spoiled. Thankfully, a new Chrome extension warns you when spoilers could be about to ruin the balance of the Force.

"The Force Awakens" is the first Star Wars movie for 10 years and the first in a new trilogy masterminded by director J.J. Abrams, making it one of the most-talked about films perhaps ever. As much as we're excited about the film, all this hype makes it tough to avoid spoilers.

Developed by software company Jitbit, the Star Wars Spoiler Blocker is an add-on for Google's Chrome browser that blurs a Web page if possible "Force Awakens" spoilers are detected. The offending page is covered with a Star Wars logo and a button to proceed anyway, forewarned and forearmed with the knowledge that you could see a detail of the new film.

After all, you wouldn't want to ruin the surprise that in the new movie it turns out that Chewbacca...oops, nearly let something slip there. Or that the real villain is...dang, nearly did it again!

The extension can be turned on or off by clicking on a little Stormtrooper helmet in the top bar. It's an original trilogy Stormtrooper, by the way, not one with a redesigned "Force Awakens" helmet. So even the icon is spoiler-free.

You can download the Star Wars Spoiler Blocker add-on from the Chrome extension store now.

If you want to block spoilers for other stuff too, try Spoiler Alert, an extension that blocks possible spoilers for TV shows, movies and sports scores. You do have to create an account and hand over some details though, unlike the Star Wars spoiler blocker.

"Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" is in theatres in the UK and Australia on 17 December and in the US on 18 December, rated PG-13. If you want to catch up on the original movies before awakening the Force, here's how you can watch the classic and prequel trilogies online or on disc now. And if you want to see them in a new light, try watching them in the "Machete Order" for a different take on the legendary saga.