'Star Wars' Injury to Sideline Harrison Ford for 8 Weeks

The actor broke his ankle Thursday and was hospitalized.

By THR Staff

Harrison Ford will miss as many as eight weeks of filming on Star Wars: Episode VII after the actor broke his ankle on set, a source close to the production has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ford was taken to a hospital after injuring his ankle on Thursday, but shooting will continue in his absence. THR's source added that Episode VII is still expected to make its Dec. 18, 2015 release date.

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Ford, who’s reprising his role as Han Solo, was injured by the door of the Millennium Falcon, the spacecraft that his character pilots in the original films. The spaceship seems to be making a return in the sequel.

Ford is among several stars from the original trilogy of Star Wars films returning to the J.J. Abrams-directed latest installment, along with Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker.

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They join new castmembers John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o and Max von Sydow.

The movie began filming last month, with shooting taking place in London and Abu Dhabi.

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In March, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that Episode VII will be set 30 years after the events in 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Ford’s hiatus from the film was previously reported by British tabloid The Mirror.

Kim Masters contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto, Getty Images