The stars have aligned! Filming for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII has started and, to mark the occasion, J.J. Abrams' production company Bad Robot tweeted out a set picture Friday, May 16.
The teaser photo simply featured a clapboard, with the caption, "#Dayone." As it was announced last month, the Abrams-directed Episode VII will feature stars—both old and new!
Original actors Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) will all return to the franchise. Fisher, for her part, confirmed her return last May and joked, "They are sending a trainer to my house so I can get in really good shape."
Joining the veterans are actors John Boyega (24: Live Another Day), newcomer Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Max von Sydow (Oscar nominee for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), and Adam Driver (Girls).
Disney and Lucasfilm shared the casting news with a photo from the gang's first roundtable reading. Abrams, in the casting announcement, gushed to fans on the official Star Wars website: "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again."
The Star Trek franchise director added, "We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."
The movie is currently filming in London, and will shoot in Abu Dhabi. Star Wars: Episode VII hits theaters December 18, 2015.
