Harrison Ford wanted Han Solo to be killed off

But despite introducing an entirely new cast of characters for a new generation, there's one actor from the original trilogy that is said to have been indispensable - Harrison Ford, better known around the galaxy as Han Solo.

Harrison Ford is set to earn more than £23 million for reprising his role as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

His total pay out could be £23 million, which means he'll be paid 76 times what newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega will make.

Both leading stars will receive a pay check of £300,000 while also taking a cut of the box-office earnings once it inevitably makes over $1 billion (£671 million).

Additionally, while Ridley was relatively unknown before the film, her contract calls for a raise with subsequent installments.

So there you have it - if the new movie doesn't have copious scenes of young Han checking the oil of a Geonosian solar sailer while looking longingly over at a certain Corellian freighter on its way to the scrapyard, the filmmakers will have Harrison Ford to answer to.

A Disney source explained: "Harrison is the key to making this movie work".

Don't know if you know this, but Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a pretty big deal. Disney is still trying to recuperate the cost of purchasing Lucas Films for $4 billion Dollars three years ago, but based on current box office achievements for The Force Awakens, it probably won't be too long before Disney breaks even.

It also stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Gwendoline Christie, Domhnall Gleeson and Andy Serkis.

American J.J. Abrams, 49, was paid £3.3 million ($7.3 million) to direct the film, plus a 2 per cent share of gross earnings.