He said he wasn’t going to be involved, then news broke earlier in the week that he would in fact direct, now we have the official confirmation that J.J. Abrams will definitely direct STAR WARS EPISODE VII. In a press release, containing quotes from both George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will also produce via his company Bad Robot along with Bryan Burk. The script will be written by Michael Arndt, the writer of TOY STORY 3 and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, and supervised by Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Here’s what Lucas had to say about Abrams:
I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He’s an ideal choice to direct the new STAR WARS film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.
Abrams returned the complements with his own brand of enthusiasm:
To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor. I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.
Abrams is a strong director, no doubt about it, and he has certainly done well with the STAR TREK franchise. But do we really want to see constant lens flares? It’ll be interesting to see how Abrams adapts his style in order to fit the world of STAR WARS, and even though I’m a fan of the prequels, I’m sure he’ll do a bang up job.
Here’s the full press release:
J.J. Abrams to Direct Star Wars: Episode VII
J.J. Abrams will direct STAR WARS EPISODE VII, the first of a new series of STAR WARS films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.
“It’s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new STAR WARS movie,” said Kennedy. “J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the STAR WARS experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture.”
George Lucas went on to say “I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He’s an ideal choice to direct the new STAR WARS film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”
“To be a part of the next chapter of the STAR WARS saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,” J.J. Abrams said. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”
J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney | Lucasfilm banner.
Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and RETURN OF THE JEDI. Kinberg was writer on SHERLOCK HOLMES and MR. AND MRS. SMITH.
Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as STAR TREK, SUPER 8, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, and this year’s STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm’s preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as FELICITY, ALIAS, LOST, and FRINGE.
