'Star Wars: Episode VII' Cast Announcement Coming 'Very Shortly'

Bryan Enk
·Contributor
Updated

When it comes to “Star Wars,” we’ll take whatever news we can get, no matter how small. And even the most quaint tidbit from a galaxy far, far away becomes more formidable when it comes from the guy in charge of the biggest media conglomerate on the planet.

In an interview published today, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn was predictably tight-lipped (and visibly somewhat nervous)  discussing “Star Wars: Episode VII,” but he brought assurances that we won’t be stuck in ultra-secrecy forever. In fact, he revealed that the news about who’s starring in the film will be released in the very near future.

"It’s almost complete," said Horn about the film’s casting in an interview with Jon Erlichman at Bloomberg.com. “We’re not prepared to announce it yet but we will be very shortly.”

Horn also confirmed that filming has indeed commenced on “Episode VII,” but only with second unit crews— most notably in Abu Dhabi, as reported by Yahoo Movies last week.

[Related: 'Star Wars' Set Spotted in Abu Dhabi Desert]

"We did some second unit work in Abu Dhabi and other places because we have all these locations we have to film and we have to give it that ‘Star Wars’-ian look," said Horn. "So we need to go to different places that give us the right look and feel. We haven’t started the main part of principal photography yet."

Horn also confirmed with Erlichman that the main location for “Star Wars” filming will be at the traditional Pinewood Studios in the UK.

Meanwhile, the Bloomberg team pointed out that the December release date of “Episode VII” is a rather merchandise-friendly decision on Disney’s part, rather than the traditional May. Horn said this isn’t necessarily par for the course with future “Star Wars” installments.

"We’re not sure yet, we may revert to May at some point, but this first one will be December 2015," he said. "We’ll start with that and we’ll see."

We’re looking forward to getting out of this “We’ll see” period and getting into the actual “seeing.”

"Star Wars: Episode VII" will hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.