Despite a reported internal disagreement about a 2015 release, Disney announced this afternoon that Star Wars: Episode VII will arrive in theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.
"We're very excited to share the official 2015 release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture," Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn said in a statement posted on StarWars.com.
The film, which will kick off a new trilogy, will be directed by J.J. Abrams from a script by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi), who replaced original screenwriter Michael Arndt. John Williams will return to score the movie.
Shooting is scheduled to begin in the spring at England's Pinewood Studios.