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The Star Wars: Episode VII photo has been released featuring a “behind-the-scenes” look at the production team, JJ Abrams and R2-D2.
The tweet on the Bad Robot account shows Abrams and exec Kathleen Kennedy visiting the LucasFilm workshop.
Fans are excited by any news and while the photo offers little insight or real content, the enthusiasm is certain to be brewing.
Abrams is working on the final touches to the script with Lawrence Kasdan as production is certain to begin in 2014 with a Christmas 2015 release.
The worldwide R2-D2 Builders Club creates fully functioning, film-accurate astromech droids like the R2-D2 seen in the photo. Steeples and Towersey, both from England, are working full-time on Star Wars: Episode VII at Pinewood studios, where the snap was taken. The pair’s recruitment adds to the British feel for the project, which is shooting early next year in London for a Christmas 2015 release date.
Disney is producing Star Wars Episode VII after buying all rights to the long-running space opera for $4.05bn (£2.5bn) last October. A new trilogy is planned, as well as a series of spinoff “origins” movies, which could focus on iconic characters from earlier films such as Yoda, Han Solo and Boba Fett. Taken together, they will usher in an era in which a new Star Wars movie arrives every year from 2015.
Series veterans Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo), have all been tipped to return, but Disney has not yet confirmed any casting details. Open auditions for two leading roles were held in Bristol, Manchester, London, Glasgow and Dublin earlier this month. There have also been reports of auditions in the US.
R2D2 was portrayed by Kenny Baker in all six previous Star Wars film. It is not known if the 79-year-old actor will return for Episode VII.
