'Star Wars: Episode VII' Adds Two New Cast Members

Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave) and Game Of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie have joined the cast for J. J. Abrams' forthcoming Star Wars: Episode VII, according to the film's official website.

Nyong'o has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence following her breakthrough performance in 12 Years a Slave and consequent Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress. Christie, meanwhile, aside from deflecting death on a weekly basis as Brienne of Tarth in Thrones, will next appear in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said of the dual casting: "I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII. It's thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape."

Nyong'o and Christie join original trilogy stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) as well as new recruits Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, and screen legend Max Von Sydow. 

The casting news comes only a day or so after infamous paparazzi hub TMZ posted a series of set photos (45 of them!) that sent fans into a grateful fit as they realised Abrams is apparently staying true to his word of reducing the series' reliance on CGI, instead using real sets and creatures - one of which reportedly requires five men to operate - to return the franchise to its original, more practically based production values.

Star Wars: Episode VII opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.