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Movies & TV

08th Nov 2013

Star Wars Episode VII release date set for a time pretty far, far, away

We would have preferred it was on May the fourth next year or the year after but at least we know when the latest Star Wars movie will be in cinemas.

Conor Heneghan

We would have preferred it was on May the fourth next year or the year after but at least we know when the latest Star Wars movie will be in cinemas.

In a statement on the movie’s official website, Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, confirmed that Star Wars Episode VII will be released just in time for Christmas 2015, on December 18 to be exact.

“We’re very excited to share the official 2015 release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture,” Horn said.

Pre-production is already underway and shooting is set to begin in spring on next year in Pinewood studios and not only is the latest episode highly anticipated because, well, this is Star Wars after all, but because it will be directed by JJ Abrams, whose work includes Mission Impossible III, Super 8 and the TV show Lost, and who has done a fine job revolutionising the Star Trek series in recent years.

Abrams is currently working on a script with Lawrence Kasdan, who also worked on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and while there has been speculation about issues with the script of late, we’re sure it hasn’t reached the point where the two men are letting out Chewbacca style wails in the office.

The likes of Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Hans Solo) are all reportedly going to reprise their roles in the latest episode of the series, while it emerged earlier this week that open auditions will be held in Ireland and the UK for two roles in the film, both of which will be decided, no doubt, by which ones Yoda deems the force to be the strongest in.

It’s still a while away yet, but having a date to look forward to is easily the best Star Wars related news we’ve heard this week since…

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