The release date has been set for the eagerly anticipated "Star Wars: Episode VII." Time magazine reports that the movie will hit theaters in a little more than two years — Dec. 18, 2015, in time for the holidays.

The Walt Disney Studios made the announcement on the StarWars.com website.

Alan Horn, chairman of the studio, said in a statement on the site: “We’re very excited to share the official 2015 release date for ‘Star Wars: Episode VII,’ where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture."

The report notes: "’Episode VII’ underwent a screenwriter switch-up last month, with the film’s director J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan taking over for original writer Michael Arndt, most well-known for his work on Toy Story 3 and Little Miss Sunshine. After the switch, Abrams told Deadline that the 2015 completion deadline had a role in the swap."

Said Abrams, speaking to Deadline: “It became clear that given the time frame and given the process and the way the thing was going that working with Larry in this way was going to get us where we need to be and when we needed to be."

The movie’s story line reportedly picks up after the action of "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," released in 1983. Shooting is scheduled to beging in spring 2014.