The cast of Star Wars: Episode VII was announced today, along with this photo of the first sit-down script read-through at Pinewood Studios, UK.
 
John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow have all been confirmed, and will join previous saga stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker, who will all be reprising their well-known roles.
 
"We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII," said J.J. Abrams.  "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."
 
This information follows the confirmation last week by Lucasfilm of the formation of the Star Wars Story Group, who decides what is "canon" (see "Lucasfilm Formally Defines Position on the 'Star Wars' Expanded Universe"), and will define the direction of the movies, which are not bound by anything in the Expanded Universe.
 
The screenplay for Star Wars: Episode VII was written by Lawrence Kasdan and J.J. Abrams, and Abrams will direct.  Abrams will share production duty with Bryan Burk and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.  John Williams will (of course) compose the score.  The movie is slated for December 18, 2015 release.
 
Roles for the new cast members were not revealed.  Boyega’s best known role is Moses in 2011’s London gang-versus-aliens flick Attack the Block.  Ridley has a few TV credits and the sci-fi short Blue Season to her name.  Driver played Samuel Beckwith in Lincoln, and was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Adam Sackler in HBO’s series Girls.  Isaac played the lead in Inside Llewyn Davis, and played villain roles in both Sucker Punch and Robin Hood (2010).  Serkis is known for his role as Caesar in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy; as well as voicing Captain Haddock in The Adventures of Tintin.  Gleeson played Bill Weasley in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1/Part 2, and was recently seen as Clan Techie, the captive tech operator with computerized eyes, in Dredd.  Max von Sydow’s resume includes Farther Merrin in The Exorcist, Emperor Ming in Flash Gordon, among many other varied roles.