R2-D2 the First Confirmed Character for 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

Last week we got the very first set photo from J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII, and right in the middle of that image was beloved Astromech droid, R2-D2. Standing around him in the "workshop" were Abrams, producer Kathleen Kennedy, and two guys nobody had ever seen before. Turns out they weren't just random fans or Disney higher-ups checking out the digs. They're actually the guys who will be bringing R2-D2 to "life" in the film, which he is now confirmed to appear in.

Variety reports that the two unknown figures in the photo are Lee Towersey and Oliver Steeples, fans and members of the R2-D2 Builders Club, who are now responsible for building all of the Astromech droids in the film. They met Kennedy while she was in Germany last summer for Celebration Europe and impressed her enough that she hired them to be part of the team.

Towersey: “We know the pressures of filming, prepping, and being able to assure reliability throughout the shoot. We have a good knowledge of Artoo, with a large stock of parts for reference and drawings, plus we know what is involved throughout the whole building process, as well as potential problems we need to avoid.” 

Star Wars: Episode VII is expected to hit theaters December 18th 2015.