Director J.J. Abrams is not leaving Star Wars: Episode VII, despite a rumor that stating that he was.
Badass Digest reported on the search for writers for Star Trek 3 and threw in a small part about the possibility that Abrams is leaving Star Wars. The site notes that Abrams had originally hoped to make the film in Los Angeles, but that was overturned. There were still ‘whispers’ among insiders that Abrams was thinking of leaving Star Wars.
But Lucasfilm has now said that there is no truth to this rumor. In a statement to The Los Angeles Times and IGN, the Disney-owned studio said Monday, “There is no truth to the rumor. J.J. is having a great time working on the script and is looking forward to going into production next year.”
Abrams was officially signed on for Episode VII in January and will work with writer Michael Arndt. No casting has been announced, although there have been plenty of rumors about Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill returning. At the end of this month, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy is attending Celebration Europe in Germany and there’s a good chance that she may have some important news.
The target release date for Episode VII is in 2015.
image: Wikimedia commons
