In the past couple of weeks "Star Wars" fans have been disappointed by the lack of information to come out out about the upcoming J.J. Abrams directed "Star Wars: Episode VII." Disney/Lucasfilm decided to skip San Diego Comic Con completely and were completely tight-lipped at their own D23 Expo. One rumor that seems to be likely only disheartened fans, the release date of the film is probably going to be in Dec. 2015, not in the spring as many assumed.
In order to have a release date the movie needs to start filming and a report by Latino Review is saying that principal photography is set to begin on Jan. 21, 2014.
The date, which Latino Review says was revealed to them by an unidentified source close to the film, coincides with hints that were made about the date in the past. Producer Bryan Burk had told Collider that they were hoping to start shooting early next year; Abrams said the same thing at the Produced By conference.
It has already been confirmed that the majority of the film will be show at the famed Pinewood Studios in England, but what locations will filming take place at outside of the studio? Variety reports that while nothing has been set in stone there are people from hundreds of locations vying for the opportunity to host the "Star Wars" crew.
Gary Arnold, president of New Mexico's Albuquerque Studios, told Variety that he has heard rumors that New Mexico may be one of the shooting locations for the last two years. Arnold also says that he has heard that Iceland, Scotland, Jordan and Ireland are in the mix.
"Every location and facility across the globe and every state in the U.S. must be offering the moon and stars," Arnold told Variety. "And they're all willing to offer things on a one-shot basis, everything they can imagine the producers might want, just to be able to say they got the new 'Star Wars' shoot. That din is probably the first challenge facing any location or facility that wants to be seriously considered."
If the potential shooting date is accurate one can only assume that casting announcements have to be right around the corner. Be sure to check in with HNGN where we will be posting all relevant news leading up to "Star Wars: Episode VII."
