J.J. Abrams and his Dubai event crew began shooting Star Wars: Episode VII in Abu Dhabi last month, and shortly there after, the director treated fans to a look at the Tatooine market place and one of the practical creatures that would be spotted in the crowd. Now, thanks to TMZ, over 40 images from the set have been revealed, giving us our first look at a practical alien that's a cross between a pig and a hippopotamus. We also get to see a lot of the extras dressed in their dessert wardrobes, and some of the vehicles that will be used to travel the harsh terrain of this once familiar planet. Click on the photo to see the rest of the pictures:

Star Wars

A Jedi source from deep within the highly secretive production claims that it takes five men to operate the giant pig-like creature, which was used in two scenes taking place in the Tatooine market place. As stated before, J.J. Abrams plans to use less CGI and more particle effects, giving the film a more distinctly Star Wars feel.