STAR WARS: EPISODE VII Officially Gets December 2015 Release

After months of rumors, STAR WARS: EPISODE VII has officially received a December 18, 2015 release.

LucasFilm and Disney made the announcement the afternoon on StarWars.com, with Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios saying in a statement: "We're very excited to share the official 2015 release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture."

Star Wars: Episode VII will be directed by J. J. Abrams and is being scripted by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi). Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, with Tommy Harper (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Jack Ryan, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Jason McGatlin (Tintin, War of the Worlds) serving as executive producers. John Williams is returning to score Star Wars: Episode VII.

As previously reported when the Dec. 2015 release rumors arose, undertaking a STAR WARS film is no easy task in itself, let alone creating a film which takes the beloved franchise in a new direction, and the reason was believed to allow Abrams plenty of time to edit the film, and now, finish the script alongside Kasdan after Michael Arndt departed the project in October. All other STAR WARS entries have received summer releases.

Filming is set to begin in the spring of 2014.