Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Officially Announced

After months of speculation and teases the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII has been officially announced.

As had been rumored, some of the actors that gained fame in the original Star Wars movies will be reprising their roles in Episode VII. Harrison Ford will be back as Han Solo, along with Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. Mark Hamill will once again play Jedi savior Luke Skywalker. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker, the actors who played C-3PO and R2-D2 in the original trilogy, have also been named to the cast of Episode VII, though it is unclear whether the men will be donning the droid suits this time around. Peter Mayhew will also be returning as Chewbacca.

Joining these veterans are newcomers to the Star Wars movie franchise including John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. Andy Serkis, famed for his motion capture work as Gollum in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, has also been named to the cast of Episode VII.

“We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII,” said J.J. Abrams, director of 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. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

The announcement comes just hours after original Star Wars trilogy actors were spotted in and around London, where filming on the movie is set to begun. Hamill, Fisher, and Ford’s role in the production had been rumored since the movie was announced, but Abrams’ famed secrecy kept their participation under wraps until now.

As expected, the casting news sent the internet into a tailspin, temporarily bringing down the official Star Wars website. Fans and critics of the series immediately turned to Twitter to once again voice their concerns, hopes, and jokes for Episode VII:

Image via StarWars.com