Scheduled for release more than ten years after the release of the last live-action Star Wars film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (also known as Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens ) is an upcoming American epic space opera film directed by J. J. Abrams. It is set approximately 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983), and features new leads Finn, Rey, and Poe Dameron alongside characters returning from previous Star Wars films.
The Force Awakens will be the first film in the planned third Star Wars trilogy announced after The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. It is produced by Abrams, his long-time collaborator Bryan Burk, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Along with directing and producing, Abrams also co-wrote with Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the original trilogy films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi . Abrams and Kasdan rewrote an initial script by Michael Arndt, who also wrote the story treatment. John Williams returns to compose the score, and Star Wars creator George Lucas serves as creative consultant.
Mark Hamill will reprise his role of Luke Skywalker.
Carrie Fisher returns as Princess Leia Organa.
Harrison Ford once again plays the rogue smuggler Han Solo, 30 years later.
John Boyega stars as Finn, a Jedi-in-training.
Daisy Ridley will play Rey, a desert scavenger.
Oscar Isaac is cast as Poe Dameron, a Resistance X-wing pilot.
In February 2014, Abrams said filming would begin in May and last about three months. In March, it was revealed that pre-production filming would be taking place in Iceland prior to the start of official filming in May, consisting of landscape shots which would be used for scenery in the film. Later in April, it was revealed that in addition to 35mm film, segments of the film were being shot in the 65mm IMAX format.
Abrams and members of the cast went to Abu Dhabi in early May, where large sets were built at the location, including a shuttle-like spacecraft, a large tower and a big market, and explosives were used to create a "blast crater". Cast members were spotted practicing driving vehicles that would be used during filming. Production moved to Pinewood Studios in June.
On June 12, Harrison Ford fractured his leg while filming at Pinewood after a hydraulic door fell on him, and was taken to a hospital. Production was suspended for two weeks to accommodate Ford's injury. Jake Steinfeld, Ford's personal trainer, said in July that Ford was recovering rapidly. Coincidentally, Abrams also injured his back when he was trying to help lift the door after Ford's accident. However, he kept this to himself and did not tell anyone about it for over a month.
On July 29, 2014, filming took place over three days at Skellig Michael island off the coast of County Kerry in Ireland with a cast including Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley. Production was halted for two weeks in early August 2014 so Abrams could rework shooting in Ford's absence and resumed with a fully healed Ford in mid-August. In September 2014, the former RAF Greenham Common military base in Berkshire, near Pinewood Studios, was used as a filming location and featured set constructions of several spaceships from the Star Wars Universe. Principal photography ended on November 3, 2014.
In July 2013, John Williams was confirmed to compose the score. He began writing themes for the film in January 2015, and by May had been through most of the film reels, working on a daily basis. In May 2015, Williams stated that he would return to themes from the previous films, such as ones for Luke, Leia and Han, in ways that will seem very natural and right in the moments for which we've chosen to do these kinds of quotes. There aren't many of them, but there are a few that I think are important and will seem very much a part of the fabric of the piece in a positive and constructive way.
He said that working with Abrams was similar to the process he went through with Lucas in the earlier films.
It's all a continuation of an initial set of ideas. It's a bit like adding paragraphs to a letter that's been going on for a number of years. Starting with a completely new film, a story that I don't know, characters that I haven't met, my whole approach to writing music is completely different--trying to find an identity, trying to find melodic identifications if that is needed for the characters, and so on.
--John Williams, on returning to the Star Wars universe
Main theme of the Star Wars series.
The Force theme (or Luke's theme).
Princess Leia's theme from Episode IV.
The Imperial March, Darth Vader's theme.