Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave) and Game Of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie have officially joined the cast of Star Wars Episode VII.

Over the last few months Lupita Nyong'o has been tipped for a role in the JJ Abrams movie so whilst the news is welcomed it’s not a huge surprise. Since her oscar win she’s appeared in Liam Neeson thriller Non-Stop and will voice Rakcha in Disney’s live-action Jungle Book.

Gwendoline Christie plays Brienne Of Tarth on Game Of Thrones and has emerged as a firm favourite with fans. Having previously featured in Russell T Davies' Wizards vs Aliens, Christie has recently booked a key role in the two-part finale of The Hunger Games. She’s proved her worth with a sword countless times on Game Of Thrones, could she be wielding a lightsaber in the foreseeable future? We can but hope.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was thrilled to make the announcement but gave no clues about the type of characters Christie and Nyong'o might be playing.

“I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII. It’s thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape.”

The talented ladies join John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford. Star Wars Episode VII is currently shooting and is due for release December 18, 2015.