'Star Wars Episode VII' is called 'The Force Awakens,' principal photography done

'Star Wars Episode VII' is called 'The Force Awakens,' principal photography done

The next Star Wars film's final title is Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Disney and Lucasfilm announced today.

The companies also said today that principal photography has been completed on the J.J. Abrams-directed movie, which is set to hit theaters Dec. 18, 2015. Filming began in May 2014. Episode VII is set approximately 30 years after the events of 1983's Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

The Force Awakens will feature numerous returning characters from the original Star Wars trilogy, including Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Actors new to the series include Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver and Max von Sydow. John Williams will once again compose the score for the film.

For more on Star Wars: Episode VII, check out teasers from Abrams of the new models for the X-Wing and Millennium Falcon. Rian Johnson, who will direct Episode VIII, said that the new trilogy will favor practical effects over the use of CGI. Electronic Arts is working on the next major Star Wars video game, Star Wars: Battlefront, which is in development at EA DICE on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One and is set for release in holiday 2015.

Original Article at www.polygon.com