MUMBAI: Actors John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Mr. Selfridge), Adam Driver (Girls), Golden Globe Award nominee Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), BAFTA Award nominee Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings films, The Hobbit films), Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 & Part 2), and Academy Award nominee Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) will join the original stars of the saga, Golden Globe Award winner Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones films), Carrie Fisher (Family Guy), Mark Hamill (Uncle Grandpa), Anthony Daniels (Prime Suspect), Peter Mayhew (Breaking In, Glee), and Kenny Baker (Amadeus, Casualty) in the new film.

Director J.J. Abrams said in a statement, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

It has also been confirmed that Star Wars: Episode VII is set about 30 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, and will star a trio of new young leads along with some very familiar faces.

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek reboot films) from a screenplay by Academy Award nominee Lawrence Kasdan (Darling Companion) and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy (The Adventures of Tintin), J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk (Lost, Fringe) are producing and Academy Award winner John Williams (Jaws, Schindler’s List) returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on 18 December, 2015.