George Lucas’ special effect connoisseurs, Industrial Light and Magic, are a company that helped define some of the most memorable moments in the filmmaker’s original trilogy. And now, almost forty years later, the visual maestros have penned a deal to open a new studio in the UK in order to work on the rebooted Star Wars IP.
Speaking at the event, Kathleen Kennedy — current president of the Disney-owned Lucasfilm — spoke on the impact that Industrial Light and Magic can have on production, all the while offering a brief status update on Star Wars: Episode VII. As a matter of fact, Kennedy revealed that J.J. Abrams’ production is coming close to its curtain call, and is reportedly within three weeks of finishing.
Don’t get your hopes up just yet, though, for it’s after the director wraps primary filming that the special effects work begins — and given the scale of Episode VII, even with its push for practical effects, it will be some time yet before we see our first full-length trailer. And so, responsibilities will be passed on to the aforementioned Industrial Light and Magic who, according to President and General Manager, Lynwen Brennan, couldn’t be happier.
“At least six Star Wars films are on the way that means we can plan our technical advancements and production capacity needed over a ten-year period.”
We’re still over a year out from the anticipated release of Abrams’ venture to a galaxy far, far away, but news that production is beginning to wind down is pleasing to know — no more leaked set photos, after all.
Star Wars: Episode VII will star Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson and Andy Serkis. It’s expected to soar into theaters on December 18th, 2015.