Written by new-contact on May 6, 2015. Posted in On Location

Star Wars Episode VIII to film on location at Pinewood Studios in London

Filming for Star Wars Episode VIII will be based at Pinewood Studios, according to an official announcement from George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer. The movie will be the third Star Wars film in a row to shoot at the London production facility.

Disney bought Star Wars production company Lucasfilm in 2012 and shortly afterwards announced plans for at least six new movies in the iconic sci-fi saga.

These will comprise a new trilogy of movies, plus three standalone ‘Anthology’ films that will be set at different times in the Star Wars saga’s chronology and focus on popular established characters.

Filmmaker JJ Abrams shot Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Pinewood Studios last year as the first in the new trilogy, which will be released internationally in December this year.

Lucasfilm will return to Pinewood in the next few months to film Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One, to be directed by Gareth Edwards. The second movie in the new trilogy – still known only as Episode VIII – will then shoot after that, continuing the story begun by Abrams.

“This investment by Lucasfilm is a huge vote of confidence in all elements of movie-making in Britain - from the visual effects designers to the lighting technicians and from the carpenters to the costume designers,” said the Chancellor in a statement.

“We are committed to backing this sector and the decision by Lucasfilm to continue to make the UK the home of Star Wars production is why we are right to believe that Britain is the best place in the world for the creative industries.”

Disney also owns Marvel Studios and Avengers: Age of Ultron was the biggest film to shoot at London’s Shepperton Studios last year.

However, Marvel is beginning to shift more production to the US. Captain America: Civil War and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 are both scheduled to follow this year’s Ant-Man to Georgia where a generous filming incentive has turned Atlanta into a top US filming hub.

(Images: Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair)