| Star Wars: The Force Awakens |
Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by |
J. J. Abrams |
| Produced by |
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| Written by |
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| Based on |
Characters
by George Lucas |
| Starring |
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| Music by |
John Williams |
| Cinematography |
Dan Mindel |
| Edited by |
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Production
companies
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| Distributed by |
Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures |
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Release dates
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- December 14, 2015(Los Angeles premiere)
- December 18, 2015(North America)
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Running time
|
136 minutes[1] |
| Country |
United States |
| Language |
English |
| Budget |
$200 million[2][3] |
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. The seventh installment in the main Star Warsfilm series, it stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow. The story is set approximately 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983).
The Force Awakens is the first film in the third Star Wars trilogy, announced after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. The film is produced by Abrams, his long-time collaborator Bryan Burk, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams co-wrote the film with Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the original trilogy films The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi. Abrams and Kasdan rewrote an initial script by Michael Arndt. John Williams returns to compose the score. Star Wars creator George Lucas served as creative consultant but had no input beyond the film's early stages.
The Force Awakens is produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams' Bad Robot Productions and will be distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Second-unit filming began in April 2014 in Abu Dhabi andIceland, with principal photography taking place between May and November 2014 in Abu Dhabi, Ireland, and Pinewood Studios in England. The Force Awakens will be released on December 18, 2015, in 2D, 3D, andIMAX 3D, more than ten years after the release of the last live-action Star Wars film, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Premise
The Force Awakens is set approximately 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and features new leads Finn, Rey, and Poe Dameron alongside characters returning from previous Star Wars films.[4]
Cast
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo[5]
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker[5]
- Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia[5]
- Adam Driver[5] as Kylo Ren, a dark warrior strong with the Force, originally a member of the Knights of Ren, and commander of the First Order.[6][7]
- Daisy Ridley as Rey,[5][8] a scavenger on the desert planet Jakku.[9] On the character, Ridley said, "She's completely self-sufficient and does everything for herself, until she meets another character and an adventure begins."[9]
- John Boyega as Finn,[5][8] a redeemed First Order stormtrooper.[9][10] On how Finn fits into the film, Boyega said, "When we find Finn, he's in incredible danger. And the way he reacts to this danger changes his life, and launches him into the Star Wars universe in a very unique way."[9]
- Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron,[5][8] a Resistance X-Wing pilot.[9][11] On the character, Isaac said, "He's the best freaking pilot in the galaxy... He's been sent on a mission by a certain princess, and he ends up coming up across [Finn], and their fates are forever intertwined."[9]
- Lupita Nyong'o[12] as Maz Kanata, a pirate.[11]
- Andy Serkis[5] as Supreme Leader Snoke,[13] Kylo Ren's master and a powerful figure of the dark side.[14]
- Domhnall Gleeson[5] as General Hux, leader of the primary First Order base, Starkiller Base.[15]
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO[5]
- Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca[5]
- Max von Sydow[5]
Additionally, Kenny Baker and Tim Rose reprise their roles as R2-D2 and Admiral Ackbar, respectively, from previous films.[5][16] Gwendoline Christie stars as Captain Phasma, an officer in the First Order,[12][17] and Kiran Shah stars as Teedo, a scavenger on Jakku who rides a semi-mechanical Luggabeast.[18][19] Additionally, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen,[20] Christina Chong,[21] Miltos Yerolemou,[22] Greg Grunberg,[23] Warwick Davis,[24] Billie Lourd,[25] Maisie Richardson-Sellers,[26] Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Cecep Arif Rahman,[27] Amybeth Hargreaves,[28] Leanne Best,[29] Jessica Henwick,[30] and Simon Pegg[15] were cast in unspecified roles.
Production
Development
George Lucas turned over his story treatment for Episodes VII, VIII, and IX to Disney chairman Bob Iger when Lucasfilm was sold to Disney in October 2012.[31] The first screenplay was written by Michael Arndt.[32][33][34] David Fincher[35] and Brad Bird were approached as directors, but Bird was committed to Tomorrowland.[36] Guillermo del Toro was also considered, but was busy with his own projects.[37]
In January 2013, J. J. Abrams was announced as the director of Star Wars Episode VII, with Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg as project consultants.[38][39] The production announced the exit of Arndt from the project on October 24, 2013, and Kasdan and Abrams took over script duties.[40] Abrams cited time concerns over the change of writers,[41] and expressed relief that the release date was announced for December 2015 instead of a previously discussed summer release.[42] He said the key for the film was to return to the roots of the first Star Wars film and be based more on emotion than explanation.[43]
As creative consultant on the film, Star Wars creator George Lucas's involvement included attending early story meetings; according to Lucas, "I mostly say, 'You can't do this. You can do that.' You know, 'The cars don't have wheels. They fly with antigravity.' There's a million little pieces... I know all that stuff."[31] Lucas's son Jett told The Guardian that his father was "very torn" about having sold the rights to the franchise, despite having hand-picked Abrams to direct, and that his father was "there to guide" but that "he wants to let it go and become its new generation."[44] Among the materials turned over to the production team were rough story treatments Lucas developed when he considered creating episodes VII–IX himself years earlier; in January 2015, Lucas stated that Disney had discarded his story ideas[45][46] and that he had had no further involvement with the film.[47]
In January 2014, Abrams confirmed that the script was complete.[48] In April 2014, Lucasfilm clarified that episodes VII–IX would not feature storylines from the Expanded Universe, though other elements could be included as with the TV series Star Wars Rebels.[49]
Pre-production
In May 2013, it was confirmed that the production of Episode VII would take place in the United Kingdom.[50] Representatives from Lucasfilm met with Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to agree to produce Episode VII in the UK.[50] Beginning in September 2013, production spaces at the Bad Robot facility were converted for shooting of Episode VII for the benefit of shooting a minor portion of the film in the United States.[51]
The film's costume designer was Michael Kaplan, who had previously worked with Abrams on his Star Trek films.[52] Film editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey, also long-term collaborators with Abrams, were also signed.[53]
In August 2013, it was announced that cinematographer Daniel Mindel would be shooting the film on 35 mm film (specifically Kodak 5219).[54] In October 2013, other crew members were confirmed, including sound designer Ben Burtt, director of photography Daniel Mindel, production designers Rick Carter and Darren Gilford, costume designer Michael Kaplan, special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, re-recording mixer Gary Rydstrom, supervising sound editor Matthew Wood, visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett, and executive producers Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin.[55][56][57][58]
Casting
Casting began around August 2013, with Abrams meeting with potential actors for script readings and screen tests. Open auditions were held in the UK, Ireland, and the United States in November 2013 for the roles of Rachel and Thomas.[59][60][61] Casting began in earnest in January 2014, due to changes to the script by Kasdan and Abrams.[62] Screen tests with actors continued until at least three weeks before the official announcement on April 29, 2014, with final casting decisions being made only a few weeks prior. Actors testing had strict non-disclosure agreements, preventing them, their agents or publicists from commenting on their potential involvement.[63]
Though Lucas intimated that previous cast members Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamill would return for the new film as early as March 2013,[31] their casting was not confirmed until over a year later.[5] Saoirse Ronan,[64] Michael B. Jordan,[65] and Lupita Nyong'o[66] auditioned for new characters; industry publications reported Jesse Plemons was considered, possibly for Luke Skywalker's son;[67] Adam Driver for an unnamed villain;[68] and Maisie Richardson-Sellers for an unknown character.[69] In March 2014, actor Dominic Monaghan said that Abrams was looking for three unknown actors to play the leads in Episode VII and that rumors of bigger-name stars were untrue.[70]
Daisy Ridley was chosen for the film by February 2014, and by the end of that month a deal had been worked out with Driver, who was able to work around his Girls schedule. By March 2014, talks with Andy Serkis and Oscar Isaac began and continued into April 2014. In April, John Boyega began talks after dropping out of a Jesse Owens biopic.[63] Denis Lawson, who played Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy, was asked to reprise his role, but declined, stating that it would have "bored" him.[71]
On April 29, 2014, the cast was announced with a photo of the first table read of the script at Pinewood Studios near London,[5] picturing director Abrams with Ford, Daisy Ridley, Fisher, Peter Mayhew, producer Bryan Burk, Lucasfilm president and producer Kathleen Kennedy, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Hamill, Serkis, Oscar Isaac, Boyega, Driver, and writer Lawrence Kasdan. Not pictured but included in the cast are Max von Sydowand Kenny Baker. The announcement was originally planned for May 4 (Star Wars Day), but announced early due to fears of media leaks. More casting is expected, including a major female role.[72] In June 2014, Lupita Nyong'o and Gwendoline Christie were announced in the cast.[12]
To prepare for his role, Hamill grew out his beard[73] and was assigned a personal trainer and a nutritionist at the request of the producers, who wanted him to resemble an older Luke.[74] Fisher was also assigned a personal trainer and a nutritionist to prepare for her role.[74] The production team built a new C-3PO suit to accommodate Daniels.[75] In May 2014, Fisher's mother, Debbie Reynolds, stated that Fisher had already lost 40 pounds in preparation for the film.[76]
In May, Abrams announced a donation contest for UNICEF from the Star Wars set in Abu Dhabi; the winner was allowed to visit the set, meet members of the cast and appear in the film.[77]
In October 2014, Warwick Davis, who played Wald and Weazle in The Phantom Menace and Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, announced that he would appear in The Force Awakens, but did not reveal his role.[78] In November 2014, Reynolds confirmed that Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd, is in the film.[25]
Oscar Isaac's uncle, a massive Star Wars fan, was cast as an extra in the film at the invitation of Abrams upon visiting the set.[79]
