Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a book.
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 . Produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Abrams ' production company Bad Robot Productions and distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures , The Force Awakens marks a break in creative control from the original series as the first Star Wars film not produced by franchise creator George Lucas . Set 30 years after Return of the Jedi , it follows Rey , Finn and Poe Dameron 's search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance , led by veterans of the Rebel Alliance , against Kylo Ren and the First Order , a successor organization to the Galactic Empire . It is the first live-action film in the franchise since Star Wars : Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith , released ten years prior in 2005 . Two sequels , The Last Jedi and Episode IX , are scheduled for release in 2017 and 2019 , respectively .