Star Wars: Episode VII Already Filming & Chewie Returns?

Talking with THR the other day, Studio head Alan Horn was asked to update the status of J.J. Abrams' upcoming "Star Wars: Episode VII" and had a surprising answer.

In terms of casting, he says "we have a lot of them, it's just not completely done yet." He adds that  casting has been the hardest part. While  nobody has officially been announced yet we can expect that to happen soon.

The other issue has been script - "It's all about the screenplay. It has to be screenplay, screenplay, screenplay" saying the script is now where it needs to be.

The real surprise though is that filming will not begin on May 14th as previously reported. In fact, Horn says "Actually, we're shooting some of it now."

The script Abrams wrote with Lawrence Kasdan for the film is complete. Oscar winner Michael Arndt ("Toy Story 3," "Little Miss Sunshine") vacated his job scripting the next film--after disagreements over which characters the film will focus on.

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' . At first Harrison Ford was interested...but had since walked that back--Now his deal to appear as Han Solo is not only done but seemingly goes beyond Ep VII.

 Just recently folks like Ed Speleers, John Boyega, Jesse Plemons theater actors Matthew James Thomas, and Ray Fisher were said to be circling an unspecified yet probable Jedi role in the pic

Abrams also confirmed that Plemons had indeed auditioned for a role but Plemons is actually
pegged for another film. Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving and Adam Driver were in the mix around the same time. AICN said "Transformers: Age Of Extinction" and and "What Richard Did" star Jack Reynor had reportedly landed a part. Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving and Adam Driver were in the mix around the same time. AICN said "Transformers: Age Of Extinction" and and "What Richard Did" star Jack Reynor had reportedly landed a part

Additionally Total Film suggests that legendary actress Dame Judi Dench is up for role of the elderly version of Mon Mothma, the senator who co-ordinates the Rebel Alliance briefing in "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi". Caroline Blakiston played the role in the original, a 30-second scene, while Genevieve O'Reilly played a young version of the character in a small role in "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith". The character has had a larger presence in non-canon books, cartoons and comics.

Actor Gary Oldman told  Sky Movies recently that he has been contacted about doing the film in an unspecified role. Also recently folks like Ed Speleers, John Boyega, Jesse Plemons and theater actors Matthew James Thomas, and Ray Fisher were said to be circling an unspecified yet probable Jedi role in the pic. 12 Years a Slave Best Supporting Actress  Lupita Nyong'o is reportedly also tipped to feel the force. 

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. It's been said that Lucas' actually spent about a year planning the franchise's future  before handing the reigns of Lucasfilm over to Disney.

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 was having his "name thrown around a lot" in connection with the movie. The actor says the talk is not true. David Oyelowo has seemingly been tagged for a role, while Michael B. Jordan reportedly met with Abrams personally about the film. Sullivan Stapleton and Daniel Day Lewis were hovering around the film as well

It's rumored that Ewan McGregor will return as the Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi McGregor played the Jedi Master in The Prequel Trilogy while Alec Guinness portrayed the Force Ghost version of Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Original Trilogy. The Force Ghost is much the same way that actor Ian McDiarmid  could return as Emperor Palpatine. The character met his end in the final reel of "Return of the Jedi"...

This photo indicates that Astro-Droid R2 D2 is in the film. Yahoo reported that the film's crew has constructed a full scale Millennium Falcon to be used during the filming. An inside source for JediNews hints that the film may take us to the Sith home world of Korriban At the same time the site also suggests that that Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage), Alexis Dziena (Fool's Gold) and Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) are up for roles in the film.

 

Peter Mayhew who played the legendary Wookiee Chewbacca in 4 of the previous films is apparently set to return--a report surfaced a few weeks ago that a recent canceled convention appearance in late May was "due to filming" was because of 'Episode VII'. Now, sources for The Hollywood Reporter have seemingly confirmed the news. The suits had no comment.

It was rumored recently that Alex Pettyfer ("Magic Mike," "I Am Number Four) likely auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker’s son. Rachel Hurd-Wood reportedly went in for an audition to play the daughter of Princess Leia in the sequel. Latino Review claims they "got it confirmed via representation and other solid sources". Noise that Sherlock and "Star Trek Into Darkness" star Benedict Cumberbatch was poised to reunite with JJ were squashed but persist nonetheless. Saoirse Ronan is in there too. She even confirmed to Sky News that she auditioned for the film, but added "so has everyone". Former "Spartacus" star Liam McIntyre has reportedly read for the part of a Jedi role, while Ksenia Solo ("Black Swan") is apparently in contention for the role of Leia and Han Solo's daughter.
 
Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling were rumored to be in the running for the eagerly awaited next film with Gosling in particular being talked about for the role of Luke Skywalker's son. Zac told MTV that "I just went and met with [producers]. So I don't know. It would be cool. I love [the Star Wars movies], I love them, but... who knows?" Leonardo DiCaprio is said to have passed on an offer to appear. Pretty wild...

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/origin  Star Wars features. Current franchise chief, Kathleen Kennedy spoke to Yahoo about the stand-alone films saying that they will NOT affect the main narrative of the Episodes.

The series MVP composer John Williams is set to score Episode VII, Episode VIII and Episode IX.

Kasdan and Kinberg would also join the projects as producers with Kennedy.

Production is scheduled to run from now until September, an official press release outlining who will be in the movie is expected to drop in the coming weeks in time for 'Star Wars Day' on May 4th, ten days out from the original production start date

The film now has a confirmed release date of December 18, 2015