Harrison Ford Injury Serious, Star Wars Episode VII Could Be Delayed

More info is starting to surface about the injury that Harrison Ford sustained earlier today on the set of Star Wars Episode VII. While the injury was a non-life threatening ankle injury, it was still reportedly a very serious injury, which could have Ford off set for weeks if not months.

According to the Mirror, Harrison Ford was crushed by a hydraulic door belonging to the Millennium Falcon, which caused him to fall to the ground in agony. After medics examined Ford, they felt his injury was serious enough to send him by air ambulance to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. Ford is suspected to have an ankle fracture, which typically has a recovery time of four to eight weeks depending on severity.

While Disney is officially stating that shooting will continue as planned while Ford recuperates, there is already rampant speculation that Star Wars Episode VII could be delayed. Ford is said to have a significant role in Star Wars Episode VII, so it’s unclear how much of the movie can be shot without his involvement.

When Robert Downey Jr. injured his ankle, it did result in Iron Man 3 filming being shut down for several weeks. However, Disney/Marvel Studios still managed to complete the film and make the announced release date.

If Disney/Lusasfilm is forced to delay Star Wars Episode VII, then it could create a very interesting situation. Currently, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America 3 are scheduled to be released on May 6, 2016. Disney might decide to put Star Wars Episode VII in that date instead of Captain America 3 under the assumption the return of the original Star Wars cast would be more formidable competition for Batman and Superman.