Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Wars Movies Star Wars fans are discussing why two major characters barely interacted, but I think it makes total sense
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Animated Movies Adam Driver accidentally "invented this thing that changed animation forever" as Kylo Ren: the Adam Driver bar
Dave Filoni
Star Wars Movies Kathleen Kennedy says Dave Filoni taking over as Lucasfilm co-president has "been a 10-year mentoring process"
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni says The Mandalorian and Grogu is "a big celebration" of the Star Wars duo
Star Wars: Eclipse screenshot shows two lightsabers with an advancing army in the background
RPGs Star Wars Eclipse: Everything you need to know about Quantic Dream's new action adventure
Christian Bale in The Dark Knight
Crime Movies Christian Bale promises Heat 2 will be "something great", and he came close to working with Leonardo DiCaprio before
How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
Star Wars Movies How to watch the Star Wars movies in order (release and chronological)
Star Wars timeline: a screenshot of The Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars Movies Star Wars timeline: Every major event in chronological order
Grogu saluting in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies New Mandalorian and Grogu TV spot doesn't give much away about the movie, but it does show Baby Yoda sneezing everywhere
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
RPGs Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic – Everything we know so far about the new Star Wars RPG
Din Djarin and Grogu in The Mandalorian & Grogu
Sci-Fi Movies The Mandalorian and Grogu: everything we know so far about the next Star Wars movie
Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Resurrections
Action Movies Matrix 5 gets a brand new update from writer and director Drew Goddard
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies The latest Mandalorian and Grogu trailer proves the film will be worth the 7-year wait for Star Wars' big screen return
Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Steven Soderbergh says he is "very disappointed" by the decision to cancel The Hunt for Ben Solo
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Sci-Fi Movies

JJ Abrams discusses working with Lawrence Kasdan on Star Wars: Episode VII

News
By Total Film published 25 November 2013

Exclusive: “He’s a spectacular writer”

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

In issue 214 of Total Film magazine , we catch up with Star Wars: Episode VII director J.J. Abrams, who gives us the inside scoop on his latest sci-fi extravaganza.

Inside the issue - which is available for just £1.99 on your iPad , Abrams tells us about hiring Empire Strikes Back screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan to help him rework Michael Arndt's Episode VII script.

“Working with Larry has been one of the most surreal joys of my life," Abrams says. "We've had a lot of fun working together. He's an incredible guy and an inspiring and spectacular writer."

Abrams adds that he's looking forward to shooting the film in London.

You may like
  • Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo Mark Hamill asked for a Luke, Han, and Leia reunion in the Star Wars sequels, but was told "it's not Luke's story"
  • Rian Johnson at the Poker Face season 2 premiere The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson denies being "spooked" by angry Star Wars fans: "lol"
  • Taika Waititi in a pink suit Taika Waititi says his upcoming Star Wars film will "harness a little more of the fun" of the original trilogy

"It's something that I've always intended to do," he says. "But I'm torn because I have done everything I can to keep the production of my projects in Los Angeles. Yet the opportunity to work with UK crews is something that has always been a dream of mine.

"Of course, that dream existed prior to me being married and having a family, so the reality of making a movie like that for any period of time becomes much more difficult when there are other people that you desperately love and care for involved."

Star Wars: Episode VII o pens in cinemas in December 2015.

For more from Abrams, pick up the brand new issue of Total Film , which is out now , and includes an exclusive look at RoboCop , The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug and many more exciting new movies .

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Buy Total Film magazine issue 214

Never miss an issue by subscribing to Total Film magazine now!

Click here for a preview of Total Film magazine issue 214.

Get the Total Film interactive iPad edition for just £1.99!

Android users:
Get Total Film magazine from Google Play!

Total Film

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

Read more
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo
Mark Hamill asked for a Luke, Han, and Leia reunion in the Star Wars sequels, but was told "it's not Luke's story"
 
 
Rian Johnson at the Poker Face season 2 premiere
The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson denies being "spooked" by angry Star Wars fans: "lol"
 
 
Taika Waititi in a pink suit
Taika Waititi says his upcoming Star Wars film will "harness a little more of the fun" of the original trilogy
 
 
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni says The Mandalorian and Grogu is "a big celebration" of the Star Wars duo
 
 
Shawn Levy
Deadpool and Wolverine director Shawn Levy compares his Star Wars movie to Stranger Things
 
 
Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray in Star Wars: Starfighter
Ryan Gosling says franchise fare "never felt right" until Star Wars: Starfighter: "It is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity"
 
 
Latest in Sci Fi Movies
Grogu saluting in The Mandalorian and Grogu
New Mandalorian and Grogu TV spot doesn't give much away about the movie, but it does show Baby Yoda sneezing everywhere
 
 
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Wars fans are discussing why two major characters barely interacted, but I think it makes total sense
 
 
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary debuts to near-perfect 96% Rotten Tomatoes score
 
 
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"
 
 
A Na'vi draws a bow in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron says Avatar 4 is still "very likely", despite Fire and Ash making $870 million less than The Way of Water
 
 
Hayden Christensen in Revenge of  the Sith
Star Wars fans are debating an iconic Revenge of the Sith scene that's now one of the saga's biggest 'what if' moments
 
 
Latest in News
Steam logo from Valve
Valve says "more games are finding success" on Steam than ever, and nearly 6,000 made over $100,000 last year
 
 
Robert rides the elevator to work in Dispatch with his dog Beef, looking out of place surrounded by superheroes
Dispatch leads faced down publishers telling them single-player narrative games were "niche, or worse, dead"
 
 
Wonderer heads to the Spire in a screenshot from Slay the Spire 2's animated reveal trailer
Xbox lead thinks "we have been in a golden age for indies" since 2008, and it's "a fantastic time to be a developer" if you ignore all the smoke
 
 
Xbox - Future Owns
Xbox teases "some iconic games from the past" to be re-released in 2026 from its "game preservation team"
 
 
The cowboy cat from the desert in Mewgenics
Steam expert advises devs stick to the "Little League" section with friendslop before attempting anything like Mewgenics
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot of Donkey Kong punching through the landscape with pieces of banana flying through the air
With Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo learned "it is more fun to destroy that which is beautiful"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Steam logo from Valve
    1
    Valve says "more games are finding success" on Steam than ever, and nearly 6,000 made over $100,000 last year
  2. 2
    Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man director explains how the Netflix movie differs from the show:
  3. 3
    Dispatch leads faced down publishers telling them single-player narrative games were "niche, or worse, dead"
  4. 4
    Xbox lead thinks "we have been in a golden age for indies" since 2008, and it's "a fantastic time to be a developer" if you ignore all the smoke
  5. 5
    The Future Games Show returns this week - here's how to watch

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...