Original ‘Star Wars’ Scribe Lawrence Kasdan Signs On For ‘Episode VII’ [Report]

Disney has all of their writers lined up for the new StarWars trilogy. Lawrence Kasdan, a long-time Lucasfilm scribe, has reportedly signed on for the latter two of the new series.

Screenwriter Michael Arndt was confirmed for Star Wars: Episode VII, and though he won’t have to compete for that gig, it seems as though he won’t return for VIII and IX. Writing responsibilities for those fall to Simon Kinberg and Kasdan, according to The Hollywood Reporter, though it is not known how the two will divide responsibility.

Kasdan and Kinberg will also reportedly join Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy as producers on the new film.

Rumor of the involvement of Kasdan and Kinberg started making the internet rounds yesterday, and neither Disney nor Lucasfilm have confirmed the news yet. According to the studio, official announcements regarding the new Star Wars films will appear on the Star Wars website.

If Kasdan specifically has been persuaded to join the new trilogy of films, it might go a long way toward assuaging fan anxiety regarding the quality of new StarWars films under Disney. Kasdan is a long-time Lucasfilm collaborator, having co-written The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the former of which is regarded by many as the best Star Wars film made yet.

Kasdan also wrote the screenplay for Raiders of the Lost Ark, the successful first entry in the Indiana Jones franchise.

Kinberg is co-writing the new X-Men movie, X-Men: Days of Future Past and was a producer on X-Men: First Class.

Now if only Disney could secure a director for the new Star Wars films …