<P> The Force Awakens was announced after The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012 . It was produced by Abrams, his longtime collaborator Bryan Burk, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy . Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, co-writer of the original trilogy films The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), rewrote an initial script by Michael Arndt . John Williams, composer for the previous six films, returned to compose the film's score . Lucas served as creative consultant during the film's early production . Filming began in April 2014 in Abu Dhabi and Iceland, with principal photography also taking place in Ireland and Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom, and concluded in November 2014 . It is the first live - action Star Wars film since Revenge of the Sith (2005). </P> <P> Star Wars: The Force Awakens was widely anticipated, and Disney backed the film with extensive marketing campaigns . It premiered in Los Angeles on December 14, 2015, four days before its wide release . The film received highly positive reviews, with its ensemble cast, direction, musical score, visual effects, and action sequences receiving particular praise, though it received some criticism for being derivative of the original trilogy . The film broke various box office records and became, unadjusted for inflation, the highest - grossing installment in the franchise, the highest - grossing film in North America, and the third - highest - grossing film of all time, with a worldwide gross of over $2 billion and a net profit of over $780 million . It received five Academy Award nominations and four British Academy Film Award nominations, where it won Best Special Visual Effects . Two sequels, The Last Jedi and Episode IX, are scheduled for release in 2017 and 2019, respectively . </P> <P> Thirty years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the Galactic Civil War, the First Order has risen from the fallen Galactic Empire and seeks to eliminate the New Republic . The Resistance, backed by the Republic and led by General Leia Organa, opposes them while searching for her brother, Luke Skywalker . </P> <P> Resistance pilot Poe Dameron meets village elder Lor San Tekka on the planet Jakku to obtain a map to Luke's location . Stormtroopers commanded by the mysterious Kylo Ren destroy the village and capture Poe, while Ren kills Tekka . Poe's droid, BB - 8, escapes with the map and encounters a scavenger named Rey near a junkyard settlement . Ren tortures Poe using the Force, and learns of BB - 8 . Reticent stormtrooper FN - 2187 frees Poe, and they escape in a stolen TIE fighter; Poe dubs FN - 2187 "Finn". They crash on Jakku; Finn survives, but he believes that Poe was killed in the crash . Finn encounters Rey and BB - 8, but the First Order tracks them and launches an airstrike . Finn, Rey, and BB - 8 flee the planet in the Millennium Falcon, which they steal from a junkyard . </P>

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