Has Star Wars: Episode VII's Working Title Been Revealed?

We know who’s in it (basically). We know when it’s coming. The next shoe to drop with regards to Star Wars: Episode VII will be the official subtitle, and that piece of information might have just surfaced.

How does Star Wars: Episode VII – The Ancient Fear grab you?

This is the working title of J.J. Abrams’ in-production Star Wars sequel, according to Ain’t It Cool News. The site quotes a source close to the production, and apparently says that it’s a confirmation of a working title that they have been hearing for a while now. What could The Ancient Fear mean? The source tells AICN:

"It refers to Max Von Sydow's villain, who makes Pazuzu look like a pussy!"

OK, so, if this source is to be believed, then Max von Sydow officially can be penciled in to the villain camp on Star Wars: Episode VII, working alongside Adam Driver to tear down the rebel alliance and restore order to the Dark Side. The "Pazuzu" reference is an out-of-left-field merging of Von Sydow’s cinematic worlds. Instead of being a Star Wars reference, Pazuzu refers to the powerful demon Von Sydow faced down in The Exorcist, a film that came out a few years prior to George Lucas’ original Star Wars film, A New Hope. The power of the Force compels you?

More than likely, this is a misdirection. Films shoot under working titles all of the time, and they rarely have anything to do with the finished film or title. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, for example, filmed under the working title Blue Harvest: Horror Beyond Imagination. And that sequel almost went with the subtitle Revenge of the Jedi before making its eventual shift:

But it’s fun to guess about the eventual title, because it might have hidden meanings that those who’ve scoured the corners of the Star Wars EU can connect. I think that J.J. Abrams is going to come up with a bad-ass subtitle, something that resonates with the fanbase on a spiritual level. And truthfully, The Ancient Fear has that impact, particularly if it establishes Max Von Sydow as a threat! Then again, Abrams did go ahead with Star Trek Into Darkness, which I still don’t understand. Anyway, what do you think? Is this the actual working title, or a reach around? If it is, do you like it? And what do you think it could be referencing? Weigh in below!

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.