Four time Academy Award nominee Lawrence Kasdan penned the screenplays for classic features like The Big Chill, Body Heat, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. He also wrote what many fans and critics alike consider the finest installment in the Star Wars franchise to date, The Empire Strikes back. George Lucas originally brought Kasdan into the Star Wars fold because Kasdans work on the screenplay for the now-classic Raiders of the Lost Ark impressed Lucas tremendously. The duo collaborated to finish a draft of The Empire Strikes back left behind by science fiction writer Leigh Brackett after her untimely death due to cancer. The results speak for themselves. Kasdan was on hand for the final installment of the original trilogy, getting screenplay credit for the epic and emotional spectacle of Return of the Jedi. While Kasdan has produced his share of critical duds like Dreamcatcher in the years since Jedi left theatre, nobody outside of George Lucas knows Star Wars better. Kasdan is again lending his considerable talent to help pen a Star Wars screenplay. No matter how Episode 7s story eventually unfolds, Kasdans input will go a long way in recapturing the tone and thrills of the original trilogy.
