We've been hearing rumors about Star Wars: Episode VII possibly filming with IMAX cameras since September of last year, but only now has the format been 100% confirmed. And we're getting an early look at what is probably the planet Tatooine in the process.
As you can see, the Tweet above comes from the official Bad Robot account, and while the photo doesn't have much of a caption (#bestformatever) it still shows us some very interesting stuff. For starters, this is now the second time that J.J. Abrams has employed the use of IMAX cameras, having previously done so for 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness. While Star Wars: Episode VII is filming in 2D, it will be converted to 3D in post-production for release next December.
Pajiba has added in a few very interesting details about the camera you see in the image. Sources have told the site that Star Wars is using three of only four 65mm 2D IMAX cameras in the world for their production. The fourth camera is currently being used by Zack Snyder on the set of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I wonder why they need so many.
While I can never get myself pumped up for news about a new 3D movie, I am always very excited to hear about sequences filmed with IMAX cameras. Filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Brad Bird have proven that no other format has its immersive capabilities (I can still remember being stuck to the side of the Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol), and I can't wait to see how they capture the terrains of Star Wars: Episode VII.
Speaking of the terrain, the desert you see in the shot above is almost certainly from the film's time in Abu Dhabi - which is standing in for the desert planet Tatooine in Star Wars: Episode VII. This means that this is an older photograph, as the production has since moved to Pinewood Studios in England, but that doesn't mean it's any less cool. All the same, I do wish it gave us a look at Luke Skywalker once again trudging through the sand...
Star Wars: Episode VII is based on a script by J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, and features a cast that includes Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong'o, Gwendoline Christie and Max von Sydow. The movie is currently shooting, but is scheduled to take a two week hiatus in August as to allow Ford to recover from an on-set injury. Still, everything is reportedly on track to have the film come out on December 18, 2015 in both 3D and IMAX.
