‘Star Wars: Episode 7’: Relive the Epic Journey in Fall of 2015

By Jon Antoni Mendoza Oct 25, 2014 12:29 AM EDT

'Star Wars: Episode 7': Relive the Epic Journey in Fall of 2015

Fans are thrilled since the official announcement was made earlier this year in regard to the new installment of the popular blockbuster franchise "Star Wars."

The new, forthcoming Star Wars film, "Star Wars Episode 7," will be an epic American science fiction space opera, and is the seventh installment in the Star Wars film series. The plot revolves around a trio of young leads, who will star alongside the characters that were featured in previous installments.

The seventh film in the series is the inaugural section of the third trilogy in the Star Wars universe, and arrives 30 years after "Return of the Jedi." This installment also represents the first Star Wars motion picture production since the Walt Disney Company acquired ownership of Lucasfilm in 2012.

The "Star Wars Episode 7" cast features 2012 BAFTA Games Award Winner Mark Hamill as "Luke Skywalker;" 2011 Primetime Emmy Award Nominee Carrie Fisher as "Princess Leia Organa;" 2002 Cecil B. DeMille Award Winner Harrison Ford as "Han Solo;" Peter Mayhew as "Chewbacca;" Anthony Daniels as "C-3PO;" and Kenny Baker as "R2-D2." In addition to the established cast members, the Star Wars official website revealed the new list of cast members, which includes John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andr Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and veteran actor Max von Sydow.

Rumors have suggested that Benedict Cumberbatch will also be a member of the new Star Wars cast. According to the Mirror, the actor shared his thoughts on the movie in a statement on "The Graham Norton Show." Cumberbatch said: "I went to the set. It was incredible. I probably shouldn't be saying these things."

Hamill, who is widely known for his portrayal as "Luke Skywalker" in the original Star Wars movie, spoke about reprising his role in the upcoming film in a statement for the BBC: "It was fantastic. Again - I thought even if they did a third trilogy, we wouldn't be involved, because it is really about the new generation of characters." Aside from "Star Wars Episode 7," Hamill's other future projects, which are also scheduled for next year, include "Kingsman: The Secret Service" and "Relatively Super."

J.J. Abrams, founder of the Bad Robot production company and winner of the 2013 ASCAP Award, is responsible for directing "Episode 7," and 2013 AFI Award Winner Kathleen Kennedy will sit in the producer's chair, while 2001 Distinguished Screenwriter Award Winner Lawrence Kasdan has been enlisted as co-writer (Kasdan was also involved as a co-writer on both "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi"). Walt Disney Studios and Motion Pictures will jointly distribute the seventh Star Wars epic.

Abrams revealed his thoughts about the upcoming movie in a statement that was published on the Star Wars official website: "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII ... It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing this best to make the fans proud."

The "Episode 7" crew has already commenced the filming process on sets in Abu Dhabi and Iceland, while the major photography work for the film was completed during May 2014, also in Abu Dhabi. The team responsible for the second-unit film work is primarily based at the famous Pinewood Studios complex, located at Iver Health in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom.

"Star Wars: Episode 7" is set to debut in theaters and cinemas, including IMAX, on December 18, 2015.

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