NEW YORK
Harrison Ford introduces film clips at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California March 2, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson
(Reuters) – Actor Harrison Ford is recuperating from surgery after breaking his leg, but the injury on the set of “Star Wars: Episode VII” will force a two-week hiatus in filming, the Walt Disney Studios said.
News of the stoppage comes after Disney initially said filming would continue on schedule while Ford recovered. But shooting is on track to wrap up in the fall, the studio said, and the release date remains December 2015.
“In August, the team will take a brief two-week hiatus while adjustments to the current production schedule are made as actor Harrison Ford recovers from a leg injury,” Disney said in a statement posted on Sunday on the website StarWars.com.
Ford, 71, was injured on the set of the reboot of George Lucas’ blockbuster “Star Wars” franchise last month during filming in England. The best actor Oscar-nominee for his role in “Witness” in 1986 is reprising his role as Han Solo in the film that is being directed by J.J. Abrams.
Actress Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill will also reprise their roles in the film and will be joined by Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac.
Disney also announced that two new actors, Briton Pip Andersen and American Crystal Clarke, who were selected from more than 37,000 people during open casting calls, will have roles in the film.
It is the first of three new movies that will continue the saga created by George Lucas, after Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4.05 billion.
(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; editing by Mary Milliken and Gunna Dickson)