Kennedy is quoted via Empire Online:
"I had breakfast with someone very important to the Star Wars family on Friday, and he has committed to being involved in the next three films, and that is Mr John Williams."
Kennedy broke the news during an hour-long Q&A moderated by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi actor Warwick Davis. Williams then showed up in a recorded video message, saying:
"I look forward to returning to a galaxy far, far away. I actually feel like I never left it. I hope I can contribute something in the new films that will be worthy of your continued attention."
Kennedy also revealed that location shooting is part of the mix for the next trilogy:
"Like many of you, looking at all the Star Wars movie and getting a feeling for what even the early films did in combination of real locations and special effects, that’s something we’re looking very seriously at. We’re going to find some very cool locations we’re going to use in support of Ep VII. I think we’re going to probably end up using every tool in the toolbox to create the look of these movies. That’s what we’re excited about."
Great News--but not a surprise....Back in May Williams stated that he would be up to the task.
Oscar winner Michael Arndt ("Toy Story 3," "Little Miss Sunshine") is writing the script for the “Star Wars: Episode VII that J.J. Abrams directs The script is said to include Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo in their later years. No official word yet if Mark Hamill could be tempted to return as Luke Skywalker but he is interested... Carrie Fisher had all but confirmed that she would be back in the role of Princess Leia--but then her rep told CNN that she 'was joking' Harrison Ford is also interested..."
Franchise creator George Lucas told Bloomberg Businessweek that he begun talks with original stars to have them return to for its new films -- before he had even begun the process of the ultimately $2 billion deal between Disney/Lucasfilm.
Fellow Original cast mates Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels say that they are keen on returning to that "galaxy far, far, away". Earlier in July actor Ray Park said that he would be interested in playing Darth Maul again as well. Back in May LR said that "The Tudors" and future Dracula TV series star Jonathan Rhys Meyers is having his "name thrown around a lot" in connection with the movie.
Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling are rumored to be in the running for the eagerly awaited next film with Gosling in particular is being talked about for the role of Luke Skywalker's son. Leonardo DiCaprio is said to have passed on an offer to appear. Pretty wild...
Writers Lawrence Kasdan ("The Empire Strikes Back," "Raiders of the Lost Ark") and Simon Kinberg ("Sherlock Holmes," "X-Men: Days of Future Past") have reportedly closed deals to pen the final two installments of the new "Star Wars" trilogy. Kasdan and Kinberg are also indeed developing stand alone Star Wars features.
Kasdan and Kinberg would also join the projects as producers with Kathleen Kennedy.
Some big Star Wars announcement is expected to happen at the D23 Expo starting Aug. 9th.
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