The next movie in the "Star Wars" franchise will arrive in theaters on December 18, 2015,
Walt Disney Co purchased "Star Wars" producer Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in 2012 and promised at least three more films in the series, one of the biggest movie franchises of all time.
"This is one of the most important movies we have in the next few years, and the date will allow the creative team the time to make a great film," Disney chief executive Bob Iger said in a conference call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday.
The pre-Christmas date will put the film's release in the prime holiday movie season. The previous six films were all released in May, in time for the summer movie season.
Filming of the new movie, currently called "Star Wars: Episode VII," will take place in England and will begin in spring 2014. It will be directed by J.J. Abrams, who is best known for directing the most recent films in the "Star Trek" science fiction series.
Lawrence Kasdan will team with Abrams to write the screenplay. Kasdan co-wrote the screenplays for the second and third "Star Wars" films, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi."
Original cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are in talks to appear in the upcoming film.
The first "Star Wars" was created by director George Lucas and released in 1977. Since then it has grossed more than $4.4 billion at the worldwide box office.
edited from Reuters
