May 16, 2014. It's a date the will live forever in ecstasy for Star Wars diehards.

A tweet yesterday from Bad Robot Productions first broke the news the Star Wars universe has been eagerly anticipating.

Bad Robot ✔

@bad_robot

#dayone

1:04 PM - 16 May 2014

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Bad Robot happens to be the production outfit owned by JJ Abrams, the director of Star Wars: Episode VII. So the tweet Episode VII has begun filming is as official as official can get.

And Bad Robot also unveiled the first photo from the very first day of filming the new movie: an electronic clapper emblazoned with the movie's title and JJ Abrams' name.

It was over two weeks ago that the cast of Star Wars VII was finally revealed by Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfim. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher will return to reprise their beloved and iconic roles as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia.

Also returning are Anthony Daniels as C-3PO; Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca and Kenny Baker as R2-D2.

Alongside these war veterans are new faces in as yet unknown roles: Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Daisy Ridley and Domhnall Gleeson. The venerable actor, Max von Sydow, will also appear in the movie. John Williams will create the music, as usual.

Star Wars VII is set for worldwide release on December 18, 2015.

Star Wars VII is expected to make a killing at the box office when it does go worldwide. Hollywood blockbusters are really big in China, which is the number two source of box office revenues for Hollywood.

Case in point. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 absolutely ruled China's box office by taking in 286 million yuan or US$45.9 million. That figure was 60% of the total domestic box office from May 5 to 11, said China Film News. Spidey 2 has grossed 349 million yuan (US$56 million) in China since opening May 4.

Spidey, however, isn't the Alpha dog among the Hollywood biggies in China. That honor goes to Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Cap made off with a massive 700 million yuan (US$112 million), a total take that was bigger than the box office revenues from all the previous four Spider-Man movies combined.