Star Wars: The Force Awakens isn't a film.
Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( also known as Star Wars : Episode VII -- The Force Awakens ) is a 2015 American epic space opera film directed , co-produced , and co-written by J. J. Abrams . Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan , co-writer of the original trilogy films The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) , rewrote an initial script by Michael Arndt . The film broke various box office records and became , unadjusted for inflation , the highest-grossing installment in the franchise , the highest-grossing film in North America , and the third-highest-grossing film of all time , with a worldwide gross of over $ 2 billion and a net profit of over $ 780 million . The Star Wars sequel trilogy is the third film trilogy in the Star Wars American space opera franchise , created by George Lucas . The first installment , Star Wars : The Force Awakens , was released on December 18 , 2015 in the U.S. , following a special premiere screening in Los Angeles on December 14 .