Disney and Lucasfilm have just confirmed reports that screenwriter Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3) will write the screenplay for Star Wars: Episode VII.  We previously reported that Arndt was said to have already prepared a 40-50 page draft of at least the first new Star Wars installment and perhaps the entire sequel trilogy.  This was well in advance of the announcement of Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm and the rights to Star Wars for more than $4 billion.  To see what Disney/Lucasfilm had to say, hit the jump.michael-arndt-imageHere's the confirmation from the official Star Wars news blog (via Variety's Jeff Sneider):

MICHAEL ARNDT TO WRITE SCREENPLAY FOR STAR WARS: EPISODE VII

November 09, 2012

As pre-production of Star Wars: Episode VII begins, Lucasfilm has confirmed that award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay for the new Star Wars film. As revealed in the ongoing video series posted here on StarWars.com, Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas have begun story conferences with Arndt. Arndt won an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay for writing Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing Toy Story 3 (2010).

For more news about Star Wars: Episode VII -- slated for a 2015 release -- keep checking StarWars.com.

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