President of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, was recently on hand at the opening ceremonies of the UK branch of Industrial Light and Magic. While filming had usually been done at Pinewood Studios in regards to STAR WARS, financial stability has always held Lucasfilm back from creating a UK branch for its special effects house. With several STAR WARS films coming our way over the next decade, this should more than pave the way for what Disney/Lucasfilm has in the works. At a recent concert, maestro John Williams confirmed he would begin writing music for Episode VII in the coming weeks, and it seems filming is prepared to wrap almost as soon.
Here's what Ms. Kennedy had to say at the opening of the UK branch of ILM:
Quite remarkable standing here within three weeks of finishing filming on STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. This studio continues a long tradition of Stars Wars films being made in London, it goes back to 1976. I think STAR WARS aspires to technical excellence and that’s what brings ILM to London today as this explosion of creativity inside the UK has been quite remarkable.
Despite a release that's more than a year away, it's exciting to know by this time in 3 weeks, pretty much all of the filming will be finished for STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. That is to say, all of live-action footage for a new STAR WARS film is sitting on a computer somewhere. If that doesn't get you excited, then you may just be a scruffy-looking nerf herder.
STAR WARS: EPISODE VII will arrive in theaters on December 18, 2014.