Harrison Ford injured: Star Wars 7 actor out of action 'for eight weeks' following crushed ankle

Actor was reportedly hurt by a faulty Millennium Falcon

Harrison Ford suffered a suspected broken ankle in the accident (Getty Images)

Star Wars Episode 7 actor Harrison Ford may not be back on set until July or August after his ankle was crushed by a Millennium Falcon door, forcing much of the filming to be rescheduled.

The actor is set to leave hospital soon, according to The Daily Mirror, but may not be fit enough to return to the role of space smuggler Han Solo for several weeks.

"The initial day or two after the accident it was hard to move things around but now we have had more time we can juggle things, bring some scenes forward and push others back," a source told the tabloid.

"There are lots of other actors in the movie so it is not a disaster. We are still confident the film can stay on schedule.

"At the moment it looks like Harrison is going to be off set for 6-8 weeks but the main priority is making sure he is OK."

Disney hasn't confirmed exactly how the accident happened, but it is thought a hydraulic door that forms part of the Millennium Falcon set crushed Ford.

A publicist for the film told Sky News they were "hoping to announce some good news soon", while the Daily Telegraph reports that his wife Calista Flockhart is flying to the UK to see him.

Harrison Ford plays an older Han Solo in the film (Peter Mayhew/Twitter)

Fortunately Star Wars: Episode VII has such a large cast that other scenes can be shot while Ford recovers.

It was recently bolstered by 12 Years A Slave's Lupita Nyong'o and Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, with the film set to open in cinemas in December 2015.