‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ To Shoot On Location in Abu Dhabi
According to sources at The Hollywood Reporter, cast and crew from the J.J. Abrams helmed 7th instalment to the franchise flew out to Abu Dhabi at the beginning of May to start shooting scenes set on desert planet Tatooine.
Tatooine, with it’s arid climate and much beloved “pod racing” played a huge part in earlier instalments of the franchise, with all films except Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back featuring scenes set on the planet. It was famously home to both Anakin and Luke Skywalker as well as the command post of the unsavoury alien crime lord Jabba the Hutt.
Tatooine based scenes, some may know, were originally filmed on location in Tunisia, however the news that Abu Dhabi will take over from Tatooine’s original home was today confirmed by twofourseven54, part of Abu Dhabi’s Media Zone Authority. The decision to change the location relates to current political tensions in the region.
Admittedly some fans may be disappointed by this change, as it may feel this is just another draw away from the original franchise. However with similar climates and plenty of space at their disposal, it should not be too difficult to replicate the original set to the point where you would barely notice the difference.
The cast for the latest Lucasfilm production, which includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow and Daisy Ridley, was announced in collaboration with Disney last month. However unfortunately so far little is known about the plot of Star Wars: Episode VII except that it is to be set 30 years after 1983’s Return of the Jedi. And with the release scheduled for the 18th December 2015, I can only imagine we shall have to wait a while before we more. But one thing we can be certain of is that when plot details do drop, we here at Focus will be sure to keep you informed.
