
Photos have revealed that Star Wars most famous spaceship has touched down in London.

The Millennium Falcon was spotted for the first time this summer as the highly-anticipated Star Wars VIII is filmed at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

Photographs showed the famous aircraft next to a huge set which closely resembles the world that Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, visited at the end of last summer's Star Wars VII when she finally tracked down missing Jedi Luke Skywalker.

A second set was set built up near that of the Millennium Falcon, but it is unknown at this stage what the intended setting will be, with fans of the franchise going into rumour-mill overdrive online as they face a long wait until the film is finally released.

But while little is known about the plot of the next chapter of the galaxy spanning saga, these new photos of filming give a snippet into what fans can expect to see in the follow up to The Force Awakens

Principal photography began on the next installment in February, but was pushed back earlier this year around the same time the release date was changed from May to December 2017.

Since filming began on February 10 and April 28 marks the halfway point, filmmakers are apparently expecting the 22 week shoot to wrap on July 15.

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Photos have revealed that Star Wars most famous spaceship, the Millennium Falcon, has touched down in London for filming

Photographs show the huge amount of effort that has gone into building the sets, with the new film expected to match its predecessor's budget

Photographs showed the famous aircraft next to a huge set which closely resembles the world that Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, visited at the end of last summer's Star Wars VII

Star Wars Episode VIII is being directed by Looper's Rian Johnson, while Episode IX will fall to Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow

The Millennium Falcon is shown fighting off enemy TIE fighters in last summer's The Force Awakens, directed by JJ Abrams

Star Wars Episode VIII is being directed by Looper's Rian Johnson, while Episode IX will fall to Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow.

The as-yet-unnamed next installment is set for release on December 15, 2017. The entire surviving cast will return from The Force Awakens, while Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran have been added to the lineup.

Prince William and Prince Harry showed that the force is with them as they engaged in a brotherly duel with a pair of light sabers as they toured the set at Pinewood Studios earlier this month.

The pair admitted that they are ‘huge fans’ of the legendary Star Wars films as they toured the set of the latest installment in the franchise.

Harry looked bemused, however, as his light saber turned red as he switched it on and asked his brother plaintively: 'Why do I always have to be the baddy?'

The highlight of their hour-long visit was getting the chance to fight each other with the film's legendary light-sabers as well as meeting Luke Skywalker himself - Mark Hamill - Chewbacca and new characters Finn and Rey.

William admitted that he was 'total geek' when it came to the films and he and Harry couldn't hide their delight as they got to pose with Hamill and Chewbacca, played by Joonas Suotamo, who at seven foot six in his costume towered over the two princes who are both six foot plus.

Harry even got a bear hug from 'Chewie', as did William - leading Hamill to remark: 'If I went towards royalty with my arms outstretched I would get arrested - but there's something about a Wookie that means you just wanted to be hugged.'

The Millennium Falcon was spotted for the first time this summer as Star Wars VIII is filmed at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire

Principal photography began on the next installment in February, but was pushed back earlier this year around the same time the release date was changed from May to December 2017

Another set, partially built, is shown as filming continues on Star Wars VIII, the second film to be made in the series since the franchise was bought by Disney

It is believed that the set seen the new photos of the Star Wars VIII set show this planet seen at the end of the previous film, The Force Awakens

Halfway there: Star Wars director Rian Johnson revealed some behind the scenes Episode VIII photos on Thursday, and confirmed filming is halfway done

A second set was set built up near that of the Millennium Falcon, but it is unknown at this stage what the intended setting will be.

While little is known about the plot of the next chapter of the galaxy spanning saga, new photos of filming give a snippet into what fans can expect to see in the follow up to The Force Awakens

She's back: Earlier this month the 42-year-old shared another sneak peak which showed Lupita Nyong'o's character Maz Kanata on a pair of monitors

Last summer's film has turned British actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega into stars, with both set to appear in the next installment

Workers are shown building the Millennium Falcon's outer shell in preparation for filming of the iconic spaceship

The Star Wars director confirmed on Thursday that filming of Episode VIII is halfway complete.

'I can’t believe we’re halfway through the shoot. (We’re halfway through the shoot!)' he wrote on his Tumblr account, along with a pair of behind the scenes photos.

One of the black and white snaps shows a film crew member polishing the exterior of a X-Wing, while an unidentifiable helmeted pilot stares past him into the camera.

A second shot shows the director himself this time doing some polishing, of a computer readout about a starship bridge.

A black garbed and helmeted First Order crew member stands beside him with his back to the camera, preparing to film a scene.

'Good. Bad. I’m the guy with the microfiber sham,' he captioned the shot.

Earlier this month the 42-year-old shared another sneak peak which showed Lupita Nyong'o's character Maz Kanata on a pair of monitors.

The month before he uploaded a shot of Cinematographer Steve Yedlin - again in black and white - as he stood outside a cross section of the Millennium Falcon cockpit used for filming interior shots.

Among the cast members returning for the next film are Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis.

JJ Abrams helmed Episode VII - The Force Awakes - which recently tipped over the $2billion mark at the box office.

The new film is expected to pick up from where the last one finished, on the world where Rey and Luke Skywalker finally met each other

Hamill with Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in A New Hope in 1977. The film, the first of seven so far, would catapult all three to stardom

Next year's blockbuster will serve as a sequel to Episode VII, The Force Awakes, which recently tipped over the $2billion mark at the box office and was directed by JJ Abrams

Since filming began on February 10 and April 28 marks the halfway point, filmmakers are apparently expecting the 22 week shoot to wrap on July 15

The Falcon was shown displaying some aerobatics in the first trailer for The Force Awakens, the first time the spaceship has been seen since appearing as an Easter egg in Revenge of the Sith

The as-yet-unnamed next installment is set for release on December 15, 2017. Workers can be seen here preparing the Falcon for filming

The entire surviving cast will return from The Force Awakens, while Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran have been added to the lineup