Star Wars Episode VII Spoilers: The Return of the Original Casts

By Kara Michelle Jul 08, 2014 07:56 PM EDT

Star Wars Episode VII Spoilers: The Return of the Original Casts

Star Wars Episode VII is the first of the third trilogy in the Star Wars epic space saga. Chronologically, it will be set 30 years after the Battle of Endor and the other events which transpired during Episode VI (Return of the Jedi). It will have the original cast of the first trilogy reprising older versions of their previous roles. Harrison Ford will once more return 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." The movie is scheduled for release to cinemas worldwide on December 18, 2015.

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 an animated feature film (Star Wars: The Clone Wars).

Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams based on a screenplay he co-wrote with Lawrence Kadan. Star Wars creator George Lucas will continue to act as creative consultant. Filming is underway at Pinewood Studios in England with some location shots to be made in Abu Dhabi and Iceland. Musical scoring will be done by multiple Academy Award winner John Williams.

Aside from the original lead actors of the first trilogy, other confirmed members of the cast include Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Max Von Sydow, Adan Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis and Domhnall Gleeson along with newcomers Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen.

People who were allowed access to the Episode VII filming were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements as a matter of course. However, writer, director, producer and actor Kevin Smith, who was there on a tour, revealed that Abrams is "building a tactile world, a world you can touch; it wasn't a series of (expletive deleted) green and blue screens in which later on digital characters would be added. It was there; it was happening."