STAR WARS: EPISODE VII May Get December 2015 Release Date

When Disney first announced that it had purchased Lucasfilm and was planning a new trilogy of Star Wars movies, the release date for the first film was penciled in for 2015. While an official release date has yet to be announced, Disney President Alan Horn confirmed that Episode VII will hit theaters in 2015 when speaking at the studio’s recent D23 convention. Many have assumed that a May 2015 release date is the most likely, since all six previous Star Wars films were released in May, but now a new report has surfaced claiming that Disney is actually eyeing a different release date for Episode VII; one that would break the mold: December 2015. Hit the jump for more.

To say that director J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII is a massive endeavor is a ginormous understatement. Not only will this be a large-budget tentpole involving intricate visual effects and stuntwork, but the legacy of Star Wars looms large and Abrams and Co. know that they have to please the most passionate fanbase in the world.

With this in mind, a 2015 release date is not that far away, especially when you consider that we don’t even have a firm production start-date for the film yet. As such, Badass Digest is hearing that the 2015 date Disney is currently eyeing for Star Wars: Episode VII is December, somewhere around the 11th or the 13th. This marks a significant break from previous tradition, but it may be a necessary one. If filming on Episode VII gets underway early next year, that would only give Abrams roughly one year to complete principal photography, post-production, visual effects, reshoots, etc. By pushing that date back to December, Abrams has a bit more time to ensure that Episode VII is up to snuff. With a legacy like Star Wars on the line, the last thing you want to do is rush production.

Badass Digest notes that Episode VII could possibly be pushed back even further to Christmas—or even out of 2015 altogether—and surmises that the decision for the December date in the first place is due to uncertainty about Abrams finishing the film in time. It’s a valid concern, but I’d rather have Abrams’ best effort than a finished product that was pushed through under the pressure of a ticking clock. As with all Star Wars rumors it’s important to keep in mind that nothing has been confirmed by Lucasfilm or Disney, but the idea of them eyeing a December 2015 release date for the film makes a whole lot of sense.

2015 is shaping up to be one of the biggest movie years in history with a glut of highly anticipated sequels and reboots set for release, so topping things off at the end of the year with Star Wars actually seems like a pretty sound plan. Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and Independence Day 2 can duke it out in the dog days of summer, while Episode VII can swoop in to be the “family event” of the holiday season.

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