JJ Abrams says script for ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ is ready

The seven installment in the series, 'The Force awakens' will release in December 2015.

In this video grab made available by Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM on Thursday, May 22, 2014, J.J. Abrams, director of "Star Wars: Episode VII," talks to the fans from the movie set in the desert in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Walt Disney Pictures announced Thursday, Nov. 6, that the movie previously known only as Episode VII has been dubbed The Force Awakens. Disney also said that principle photography has wrapped on the J.J. Abrams-directed sequel six months after beginning. The film will be released in December 2015. (AP Photo/Lucasfilm Ltd., File)

New Star Wars director JJ Abrams has revealed the script for the next installment of the sci-fi franchise is already complete.

The filmmaker, who will executive produce the sequel to this year’s The Force Awakens , said the script for Episode VIII is done, said the Hollywood Reporter .

“I’m sure rewrites are going to be endless, like they always are...,” the 49 year old said. “We had meetings with (director) Rian (Johnson) and Ram Bergman, the producer of VIII. They were watching dailies when we were shooting our movie. We wanted them to be part of the process, to make the transition to their film as seamless as possible.”

Episode VIII, which is still untitled, is scheduled for release in May, 2017, just 17 months after Abrams’ new blockbuster, and principal photography is due to start in Ireland in March (2016).