A slightly interesting development in the Star Wars: Episode VII production cycle has arrived as LucasFilm has announced screenwriter Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3) will no longer be credited with the screenplay. Instead scripting duties have now been turned over to director J.J. Abrams and Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi co-writer, Lawrence Kasdan. Theatrically, Abrams has been credited as a writer on two of his previous directorial outings, Mission: Impossible III and Super 8.
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy made an official statement saying, “I am very excited about the story we have in place and thrilled to have Larry and J.J. working on the script. 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.”
So it sounds like Arndt will be getting a story credit on the film, but the screenplay credit will go to Abrams and Kasdan, the latter of which was serving as a consultant on the film until now.
Shooting on Star Wars: Episode 7 is scheduled to begin Spring 2014 at Pinewood Studios for an expected 2015 release.
