First behind the scenes image arrives from Star Wars: Episode VII

The first behind the scenes image has arrived online from Star Wars: Episode VII , featuring a number of the production team alongside a familiar figure from Star Wars lore…

Yes, it’s R2-D2 of course, seen here with J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy, as the duo paid a visit to the LucasFilm workshop.

It’s all terribly exciting, though we’d have preferred to see J.J. either with his arms around the little droid, or perhaps throwing his limbs into some sort of C-3P0 impersonation. We suppose you can’t have everything.

Abrams is currently hard at work putting the finishing touches to the script alongside co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, with production set to kick off early next year.

Now set to arrive in cinemas on 18 December 2015, let’s hope Episode VII finds room for R2 somewhere in its new cast of characters…

George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.