What Do We Know About 'Star Wars: Episode 7' So Far?

Star Wars: Episode 7, is a phrase that either strike fear into the hearts of Star Wars fans the world over, or instil a sense of reluctant optimism in others. No matter how you feel about the rebooting of George Lucas' genre-defining sci-fi series, it is happening and there is nothing we can do about it. What we can do though is mull over every little rumor and tidbit that Disney have managed to let sneak on to the internet, and try to understand exactly where the movie's makers are in the filmmaking process.

We do have some concrete facts about the movie so far; that Jj Abrams is directing it, or at least we're pretty sure that he still is anyway. During the summer there were rumors that the Lost creator was on the verge of stepping down from the project amidst creative differences with Disney. Having initially declined the invitation to direct the next instalment of the Star Wars franchise, his commitment to the project had always seemed somewhat in doubt, but as the months have gone by it does look as though he is committed to the job. Abrams is a pretty competent director and his involvement in the project is a promising one, providing that he doesn't go overboard with the lens flare like he did on Star Trek.

One appointment that does seem certain, and one that has been roundly accepted as a solid appointment, is that acclaimed screenwriter Michael Arndt is in charge of the script. As it stands, Arndt is the sole name attached to the screenwriting duties, although it has also been revealed that Lucas will work as a "consultant" during the writing and filming process to ensure that his vision of the Star Wars universe isn't too heavily tampered with. Considering how well his vision was realised in the three prequels, this might not be a great thing, but we have faith that Arndt will make sure the film is free from any scenes like the ones involving Anakin declaring his undying love for Padmé or JarJar Binks being JarJar Binks.

Next: John Williams returns to the Star Wars arena.

Another positive appointment that has been confirmed so far is the legend that is John Williams will be returning to score the next instalments of the franchise, ensuring the films have that blissful cinematic musical backing that made the first films so good (and the prequels just that little bit more bearable). Williams confirmed his role on the project this summer and he has already began working on the score for the film.

Here's where we take a turn into unknown waters; the cast. Initially it was reported that the three main stars of the first three films would all be returning for Episode VII. As it stands, both Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher seem relatively certain to return as Luke and Leia Skywalker, however Harrison Ford's involvement in the project is still unclear. Fisher and Hamill are believed to have met up with Lucas to discuss their involvement in the film early on and both have reportedly been asigned personal trainers to get them in shape for the film.

As for Ford, the actor has made no secret of his disdain for the films that launched his career, and has long held the belief that Han Solo should have died in either the second or third movie. He may finally get his chance to go out in the blaze of glory he always wanted with Episode VII, however the actor recently revealed that he is still unsure whether he should return to the galaxy far far away. Ford most recently appeared on The Graham Norton Show and said that he had "not quite made the choice" as to whether he would commit to the film.

As great as it would be to see Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy and Lando all back together on screen, we can't simply have a 2-hour reunion when Episode VII comes along, but as it stands we're still no closer to learning who the new cast members will be. There have been murmurings of a return from some of the deceased characters, namely Obi-Wan Kenobi and Emperor Palpatine, in spirit form, however these remain only rumors and have yet to be either confirmed or denied. Abrams is also said to be on the lookout for a new Wookie character, or at least another character to fill in Peter Mayhew's furry boots.

In June this year, we were treated to a list of requirements needed to fit the description of the new characters. Among them, the casting directors are apparently looking for a "thirtysomething male intellectual," two "late-teen" females, a young and an old "twenty-something male," a "fit, military type" male in his forties and another male actor in his seventies, with "strong opinions and tough demeanour."

Next page: Will Ryan Gosling be signing on for Star Wars Episode 7?

That's basically all we've got to work with on the casting side of things, and with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling all linked to one of the roles, there is a chance that we'll see at least one big name heading to the Star Wars universe. Some individuals have been linked to roles, including British actor David Oyelowo, who made headlines in September when he was rumored to be the first person to be cast in the film.

Irish actress Saoirse Ronan revealed that she has auditioned for a part in the film, although her involvement hasn't been confirmed or denied by the film's executives. According to Comicbook.com, a casting announcement from Disney is imminent, but this has yet to be confirmed too.

On top of the return to where the Star Wars story left off with Return of the Jedi, Disney have also confirmed that they will be producing at least three movies that will look into the backstory of a certain character, with Yoda, Boba Fett and Han Solo among the top names considered for a spin-off movie. Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed earlier this year that spin-off were in the works, and that Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi screenwriter Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg (X-Men: The Last Stand and Sherlock Holmes) have both signed on to write a back story for some of the franchise's most popular characters.

That pretty much covers what exactly we know about the project, and should we get a casting announcement soon it will surely get more press coverage than the Second Coming, so at least we have that to look forward to. The film has been scheduled for a summer 2015 release, should filming go as planned, although some reports are now stating that it has been pushed back for a December 2015 opening. We'll reserve judgement on any of the decisions and rumors until then.