Screen Daily is reporting that Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm will shoot Star Wars: Episode VII at Pinewood Studios.
“Production is already moving in to Pinewood in preparation for the early 2014 shoot with crew also being assembled. As previously reported, casting is underway,” the site says.
Lucasfilm announced last month that the film would shoot in the UK, but a specific location wasn’t mentioned. All of the six previous live-action “Star Wars” movies have included UK production in such famed studios as Elstree, Shepperton, Leavesden, Ealing and Pinewood.
“We’ve devoted serious time and attention to revisiting the origins of ‘Star Wars’ as inspiration for our process on the new movie, and I’m thrilled that returning to the UK for production and utilizing the incredible talent there can be a part of that,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm. “Speaking from my own longstanding connection to the UK with films like ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, ‘Empire of the Sun’ and recently ‘War Horse’, it’s very exciting to be heading back.”
To be directed by J.J. Abrams from a script by Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3), Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled to hit theaters in 2015.
