UPDATE: Yep, the House of Mouse has confirmed it. That’s according to Deadline as well as StarWars.com.
J.J. Abrams demonstrating proper force push technique.
Hoth off the presses.
Maybe you’ve finally ousted midi-chlorians from your own continuity, but are you prepared to face the knowledge that lightsabers are powered by Red Matter? Deadline is reporting that Star Trek director J.J. Abrams has signed on to helm Star Wars episode VII for Disney.
With Super 8, Abrams made a better Spielberg adventure movie than a handful of actual Spielberg movies. Can he outdo Lucas or, dare we say, Kershner?
May the force be with him. Or, maybe you have a bad feeling about this. Share those and other puns below.
One thing’s for sure: Greg Grunberg is going to look really weird as a Twi’lek.
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This is awesome if true, but didn’t he already deny a rumor a few weeks ago. Maybe if was just trying to throw off people until the deal was official.
Deadline is usually a reputable source on these matters. If they’re reporting it, the likelihood of truth is good.
We’re only reporting it because it’s Deadline. That said, the question mark is up there for a reason.
It could be worse. They could have gotten Michael Bay.
There is a reason the new Star Trek movies look more like Star War movies. J.J. Abrams is a huge Star Wars fan. This should be great. The Force willing.
I read a quote a few weeks ago in which he denied this up and down. But ya never know with these things.
I’m fine with it.
it’ll be awesome. He really is a zen master at using classic storytelling, suspense and all the SFX toys to tell really unique stories. I’m excited. I tend to like everything he’s involved with.
Although, the fabric of space time might unravel with him behind Trek and Star Wars. NO MAN should have that power! I don’t even think The Q could pull that off! =)
There’s something wrong about a man in control of Star Trek and Star Wars at the same time.
With you on that. He has a great track record but I would prefer to see these two franchises coming from different sets of vision.
Call me crazy, but I didn’t love the last “Star Trek” movie. I’m a Star Wars fan, and it seemed to me on Star Trek they spend most of their time on the Enterprise. I’m not sure how I feel about a new trilogy, but I kinda wish the director of the 7th movie was someone else.
You’re crazy.
I agree, Star Wars should be done by someone else. There are a LOT of excellent up-and-coming directors that should have been given a chance.
Never seen photon torpedoes flare so bright!
Dammit. I wanted to be the first to make a flare joke. Just….dammit!
SO CLEVER…. smh get over it already. The typical movie goer doesnt even know what the hell a lense flare is, I wish we could all move past this.
The constant fanboy snide remarks are really annoying.
Plus lense flare joke? REALLY? That all you could come up with…pretty lame.
Couldn’t think of anyone better for the job after seeing how well he handled Star Trek, him or Joss Whedon.
Yes, this. I wouldn’t even trust Spielberg. He’d probably tack on several endings. Very excited about this.
Yes, this. I wouldn’t even trust Spielberg. He’d probably tack on several endings.
Very excited about this.
Just another step in the homogenization of pop culture. He may be a good choice, but I’d say the same thing if it was Peter Jackson. I’d rather see someone else who’s qualified get a chance. Someone who hasn’t already got his own franchise.
You’ve just eliminated all the most popular directors in Hollywood. I don’t mean to be snide, but do you really want the next director of Star Wars to be an untested up-n-comer? So many directors have franchises now; Del Toro=Hellboy, Bay=Transformers, Jackson=LOTR and the Hobbit, Nolan=TDK trilogy, Snyder=Superman, Singer= X-Men, Vaughn= Kick-Ass and X-Men, Fincher= the Millenium trilogy. Probably my first choice would be Jon Favoreau , but I think he directed “Cowboys and Aliens” in which case I’m gonna keep looking. He also did both “Iron Man” movies so he also has/had a franchase .
The relatively untested Chris Nolan worked out rather well for the Batman trilogy. His biggest film up to that point was Memento which was a great film, but it took some imagination and guts to pick him as the director of a blockbuster hopeful project like Batman Begins. That’s the kind of critcial thinking I’d like to see for a new SW trilogy. Otherwise I’m going to assume the movies are going to be safe corporate pablum like the entirety of the 2nd SW trilogy.
Yeah, interesting that Ben Affleck was being considered, if true… Brad Bird, Duncan Jones, Neill Blomkamp, Rian Johnson… all could have been interesting choices.
It’s good news! JJ Abrams is such a wonderful director! But I’m a little bit afraid that the two sagas are going to look similar.
How do you know?
he didn’t say he knew he said he was afraid
C’mon Paul. Of course, J.J. can out do Lucas, but Kershner? Not likely. I’m good with J.J. doing Episode VII, I think he can pull it off.
“Okay, guys, here’s my idea. We open up on Padme’s delivery of the twins, right? But then all of a sudden this ship shows up and starts shooting up the place! The twins barely survive, but they lose their mother in the process. This makes them edgier, and now we can do whatever we want because it creates an alternate timeline!
What? No, it doesn’t sound familiar to me at all. This is a totally new idea. Anyhow, we fast forward in time to Luke in Starfleet Academy… Wait, nope, that’s not right, is it?”
J.J.? Dy-no-mite!
I was pulling for Affleck personally, but Abrams is a good choice too.
I am also pro Affleck. He is putting out some amazing movies.
Guys don’t you realize that the whole Ron leaving for image is a smokescreen. It’s not JJ who’s directing Star Wars it’s Ron!!!! All the stormtrooper are going to have sideburns! Seriously if this movie doesn’t bring Ron back for a special edition podcast I don’t know what will.
Should one man be in charge of Star Trek and Star Wars? That seems wrong for some reason. Although I loved the new Star Trek, so fingers crossed this will be good.
How awesome a life is JJ living? I mean really!? Star Trek! Working with your idols & now Star Wars?! Amazing. I’m excited. Cant wait.
In other news, Star Wars VII was just pre-emptively pushed back two more years.
I have a bad feeling about this.
Good news everyone 😀
People, this is a time to rejoice! Finally, Trekkies and Star Wars aficionados will have “something” in common and be able to hug each other like long lost brothers at conventions instead of staring each other to death as if they were in a mexican stand-off!
Not sure how I feel about this. Abrams is quite talented, though I worry about too much overlap between franchises. Plus, when would he ever have a chance to do his own thing again? On the other hand, it would be an interesting test case to see what truly makes Star Wars & Star Trek distinct from each other . . .
Well it’s quite obvious mate… Star Trek: Hard SF. Star Wars: Science-Fantasy. Easy as that! 😉
In related news, Jar Jar Binks is all set to make an appearance in the next Star Trek film. He’ll be wearing an old school red shirt from the 60’s. RIP, Jar Jar. 😛
As much as I like Abrams, this doesn’t sit all that well with me. I’m sure he’ll make a fine film, and that should be the most important thing, but I can’t help but think about one creative hand overseeing so many large franchises. I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be more Star Wars or Star Trek flick. I don’t think anything’s sacred really as far as entertainment goes, but I worry about everything having the same tone. As much as I like the Marvel movies, they’ve really carved out a very specific tone that has been picked up by other franchises and I’m worried this could just be more of the same. It’s why I cringed when people were saying they wanted Whedon or Abrams to do one of these movies. I don’t need those two men in control of everything. Would have much rather seen someone like Affleck or Duncan Jones take the reigns. Brad Bird if I really got my wish (but even he has a fairly similar tone to Abrams and Whedon.) And yes, it’s a tone I like, possibly even love, but I don’t need everything to rock the same coat of paint. I know I’m not the only one worried about this, but I feel like it’s maybe not a big enough part of the conversation, kind of like a lot of people glossed over the fact that Disney buying the rights to Star Wars meant that they hold the property rights to basically every major franchise under the sun. It’s kind of scary if you think about it too much.
Hmm… now that I think about it, it would have been great if they’d handed this film to an up and comer with a sharp vision. Maybe even a total nobody. It’s not like they need a massive named director to make money with a Star Wars film. Even if it’s horrible, they’re going to make a ton of cash.
Even if it’s horrible? That statement alone makes me disregard everything you wrote before. I want someone I know can make a good, entertaining movie.
Sorry, that last sentence isn’t exactly clear. I would have liked to see a movie from a non-major director and clearly have it be good. They could afford to take that risk if they wanted to. The film will make money no matter what. Hope that clears it up.
Yeah handing the START of the FRANCHISE to a nobody…hmmm…im glad the fans dont have a choice of who gets selected for these things lmao. Im pretty sure Disney/Lucas wants to put BILLIONS of dollars into someone they dont know.
It’s not the start of a franchise. This movie will make cash hand over hand no matter who directs it.
I was hoping for Christopher Nolan. Throughout the “Dark Knight” trilogy I found various thematic and visual references to “Star Wars” and unlike a lot of his peers, he actually uses models and practical effects.
That said, I loved what J.J. Abrams did with “Star Trek” and that had basically an entire scene lifted from “Empire Strikes Back,” so this really isn’t that much of a shock, and even his worst work is still done with detail and care.
Let’s just say my curiosity is piqued.
I have no idea what any of the above comments mean. Seriously. It’s like excess hot air at a zeppelin convention.
I will wait until release date, buy a ticket, some popcorn perhaps, turn my brain off and absorb.
Next day, I’ll wake up & remember to go see a proper film.*
*ie – to see a story someone genuinely wanted to tell, as opposed to a franchise- driven P.O.S.
Mr. Pedantic to the rescue:
Zeppelins are filled with hydrogen not hot air. That’s why they’re so dangerously flammable.
But, I know what you mean 🙂
@Tripleneck – forgive my disgraceful ignorance regarding C20th balloon-flight propulsion, lol 🙂
Rarely, if ever, will you see me express a dislike for a person I don’t personally know. Nor am I an ‘angry fanboy’ in any real way…
However, for me, Mr. Abrams is beneath contempt for robbing ‘Star Trek’ of its soul. He pissed all over Gene Roddenberry’s egalitarian, Aquarian future of positivity and hope (the inspiration to so many civil rights leaders, artists, scientists and writers) and replaced it with a capitalistic, broadly fascistic SFX fest with no purpose beyond spawning sequels and making money. If you wish to rephrase that as ‘updated the franchise for a new generation’ and call me an ‘angry fanboy’ instead, then feel free to do so. I couldn’t care less.
‘Star Wars’ (arguably the main reason I once worked in film or even embraced writing as a career) was a lifelong passion of mine, but my intense dislike of Disney (I won’t give money to a company that sued a children’s hospice. I’m sorry. I won’t) turned me off from all things ‘Star Wars’ related from here on out. I don’t give a damn what rubbish J.J cooks up or how badly he messes up this franchise. OK, that’s a lie. I DO care, but I don’t want to care…
He can get on with making tattooed biker nerfherders from the future the bad guys, blowing up tatooine, making Luke Skywalker a depressing douchebag, filling the film with rampant product placement, re-designing the Millennium Falcon to resemble a flying iPhone, making C-3PO a lust-filled testosterone driven nutter and doing away with any real characterization in favor of oft-repeated catch-phrases.
I think I’ll stick to the (probably) far-more-faithful ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’ instead.
Anyway, screw him. The saga is finished now anyway.
When you say you won’t give Disney money, does that mean you will not even consume their products for free?
I’m curious to how deep your convictions run.
lol. Yeah, I really went for it on this one. I was tired and grumpy and I’m a pretty big Star Trek fan who hated the reboot.
I am not a total hardliner, I occasionally buy Marvel books (but haven’t followed one regularly in years.
In fact, sometimes I get so mad I start brackets (and then never end them.