Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens - Thirty Years After the Return of the Jedi, Han Solo and Chewbaca Called Back for Another New Space Adventure
Walt Disney's Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the first of the third trilogy in the Star Wars epic space saga, is scheduled for release on December 18. Directed by J.J. Adams based on a screenplay he co-wrote with Lawrence Kasdan, the upcoming next installment in the Star Wars saga is chronologically set 30 years after the Battle of Endor, the death of Darth Vader and the other events which transpired during Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
The first trilogy in the space saga is comprised of Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi. Between the first and the now forthcoming third trilogy, there was a second trilogy, the so-called prequel trilogy, which consisted of Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith plus and animated full-feature film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens will have the original cast of the first trilogy reprising older versions of their previous roles. Harrison Ford once more returns to the screen as "Han Solo," Carrie Fischer as "Princess Leia Organa," Mark Hamill as "Luke Skywalker," Peter Mayhew as "Chewbaca," Kenny Baker as "R2-D2," and Anthony Daniels as "C-3PO."
Aside from the original lead actors of the first trilogy, other confirmed members of the cast of the upcoming episode of Star Wars include Daisy Ridley, Lupita Nyong'o, John Boyega, Max Von Sydow, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis and Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Christina Chong along with Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen.
Filming wrapped up November and the project is now under post-production work. Plans for the sequels have already been approved and set in motion. In June, it was announced that Rian Johnson will write and direct Star Wars Episode VIII. He will also write, and possibly direct as well, Star Wars Episode IX according to Deadline. Ram Bergman will be producing both Star Wars VIII and IX. Actress Daisy Ridley who will play a lead role in Star War VII will be reprising her character in the next two films in the new trilogy.
Star Wars creator George Lucas who turned over to Disney the story treatment for Episodes VII, VIII and IX when Lucasfilm was sold in 2012 continue to serve as creative consultant in the franchise. Asked what he does as a creative consultant, he told Bloomberg Businessweek, "I mostly say, 'You can't do this. You can do that.' You know, 'The cars don't have wheels. They fly with antigravity.' There's a million little pieces. Or I can say, 'He doesn't have the power to do that, or he has to do this.' I know all that stuff."