Another Star Wars film will be made in the UK next year, Chancellor George Osborne has confirmed.

Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill starred in the 1977 first Star Wars movie

He made the announcement during a visit to the set of the Star Wars: Episode VII film which began shooting at Pinewood Studios, near London, in May.

The new movie will begin filming in 2015, also at Pinewood.

Mr Osborne said the decision to shoot Episode VII in the UK was "testament to the incredible talent in Britain" and meant "more jobs and more investment".

Confirming the details of another Star Wars film on Twitter, he wrote: "On set of Episode VII tonight, can announce another #StarWars film will be made in UK. A #LongTermEconomicPlan in a galaxy far far away"

And in a statement regarding the filming of Episode VII, Mr Osborne said: "Lucasfilm and Disney's decision to shoot the Star Wars standalone movie in the UK is testament to the incredible talent in Britain."

"The further changes the government made to the film tax relief at Budget 2014 will support our highly skilled, innovative creative sectors so that they continue to thrive and encourage more films to be made in the UK."

A picture of the cast of Episode VII was posted on Starwars.com

Tax incentives

Episode VII includes original actors Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill and is being directed by JJ Abrams.

Lucasfilm President, Kathleen Kennedy said: "The UK crew that we're working with on Star Wars: Episode VII is incredible. They're among the most gifted and passionate when it comes to film and storytelling. Star Wars couldn't be in better hands."

A Treasury spokesman said the UK's film tax relief gives 25% tax relief on the first £20m of qualifying expenditure, and 20% thereafter.

Investment in UK-based film production in 2013 was over £1bn, an increase of 14% on the previous year, he added.

Episode VII is the fifth Star Wars movie to be shot in the UK and is due in cinemas on 18 December 2015.

The original trilogy was filmed at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, while prequel The Phantom Menace began shooting on 26 June 1997 at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire.

Source: BBC