While Star Wars fans have known for months that Empire Strikes Back writer will be taking an active role in Disney and Lucasfilm’s new movies, it has been confirmed today that he will work with director J.J. Abrams on the script for Episode VII.
Lucasfilm announced that the two have taken screenwriting duties on the project. The two will work with an original script written by Oscar-winner Michael Arndt.
“I am very excited about the story we have in place and thrilled to have Larry and J.J. working on the script,” Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement. “There are very few people who fundamentally understand the way a Star Wars story works like Larry, and it is nothing short of incredible to have him even more deeply involved in its return to the big screen. J.J. of course is an incredible storyteller in his own right. Michael Arndt has done a terrific job bringing us to this point and we have an amazing filmmaking and design team in place already prepping for production.”
Kasdan has worked with Lucasfilm several times in the past, writing the screenplay for Raiders of the Lost Ark and co-writing Empire and Return of the Jedi. It was reported back in November that he and Simon Kinberg had been hired to work on the films and Lucasfilm confirmed in February that he will write one of the spin-off films.
Disney and Lucasfilm still didn’t make any cast announcements, but did confirm many of the members of Abrams’ crew. Dan Mindel, who said they will film using 35mm instead of digital cameras, has been hired as director of photography. Ben Burtt, who has worked on the sound design for all the Star Wars films and created the voice of WALL-E, will be back.
Kennedy, Abrams and Bryan Burk will also be joined by executive producers Tommy Harper (Star Trek Into Darkness) and Jason McGatlin (War of the Worlds).
Episode VII will hit theaters in 2015 and production starts Spring 2014 at Pinewood Studios.
image: Wikimedia Commons
