JJ Abrams takes up screenwriting duty for `Star Wars: Episode VII`

Washington: Lucasfilm has announced that Lawrence Kasdan and director J.J. Abrams have taken up screenwriting duties for ` Star Wars: Episode VII` as the Oscar-winning screenwriter, Michael Ardnt, has backed out of the project.The production company said that they are putting together a "master filmmaking team" to write the script for the film and the 64-year-old screenwriter of `The Big Chill` and the 47-year-old creator of `Lost` have taken up the assignment, the Huffington Post reported.

Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm said that Arndt, who was hired to write the script last year, had done a "terrific job" bringing them to this point and added that they have an amazing filmmaking and design team in place already prepping for production. The next `Star Wars` installment is still set for release in 2015.