Big breaking news this morning. Disney and Lucasfilm have confirmed that J.J. Abrams, the true driving force behind launching the newStar Warstrilogy with 2015’sThe Force Awakens, will return to directStar Wars 9. No story details have been released at this time.StarWars.comsent out the official Press Release. They offer this statement.
“J.J. Abrams to Write and DirectStar Wars: Episode IX. J.J. Abrams, who launched a new era ofStar WarswithThe Force Awakensin 2015, is returning to complete the sequel trilogy as writer and director ofStar Wars: Episode IX. Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio.Star Wars: Episode IXwill be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejoin, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm.”
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy was on hand to deliver the news. She didn’t say much about the actual film itself or thefiring of Colin Trevorrow. She did have this to say about J.J. Abrams taking over.
“With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy.”
J.J. Abrams is credited with bringingStar Warsback to life as a viable franchise, with many praising his work inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, which he helped write as well. His co-writer onStar Wars 9, Chris Terri is best known for his work on DC movies such asBatman V SupermanandJustice League. His inclusion will surely be a divisive one for fans who criticized those movies. He also collaborated with Ben Affleck on Oscar-Winning movieArgo.
Last week,Star Wars 9director Colin Trevorrow was fired from the job by Disney and Lucasfilm. It was strongly rumored thatStar Wars: The Last Jedi director Rain Johnsonwould come into replace him. But just yesterday, Johnson said he wasn’t interested in the job. And in all likelihood, he probably understand and knew that J.J. Abrams was coming back.
It is believed thatColin Trevorrow was firedfrom his position for being ‘unmanageable’. And it is strongly rumored that he was often clashing with Kathleen Kennedy. Colin Trevorrow’s ousting came only a few months after Chris Miller and Phil Lord were fired fromHan Solo, a spin-off that follows the young adventures of the space pirate and his Wookie pal Chewbacca. In a similar scenario to what we’re seeing today, director Ron Howard was announced as their replacement just a few days later.
Disney and Lucasfilm have had continuing directorial problems ever since they first bought Lucasfilm back in 2012. They found it incredibly difficult to lock down a director who even wanted to take on the Herculean task of directingStar Wars: The Force Awakens, and it took a lot of convincing to get J.J. Abrams on board. The original screenwriter was eventually fired from that movie, marking the first in a long string of swinging doors, with the director ofRogue Onesidelined during post-production, and theBoba Fettmovie being shelved after its director Josh Trans was let go due to ‘creative difference’.
It hasn’t been revealed yet what kind of convincing it took to get J.J. Abrams back in the director’s chair. It will be interesting to watch the process unfold. The cast has notoriously spoken out about the difficulties of working with JJ. Abrams, and the seriousness he brings to the set, as opposed to the lighthearted fun Rian Johnson implored onThe Last Jedi. We’re sure there will be more stories about theStar Wars 9filmmaking process as things quickly move forward. Shooting will begin in early 2018 with the movie hitting theaters summer 2019.
