UPDATE: As suspected earlier today by yours truly, Star Wars: Episode IX will hit theaters on December 20, 2019. That means it'll open against Universal's Wicked and one week after Warner Bros.' Wonder Woman 2. Expect those films to find other dates.
After Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow's mostly unsurprising exit from Star Wars: Episode IX was announced by Disney and Lucasfilm last week, everyone's attention turned to who would replace him. Yes, there was plenty of discussion centered around the fact that Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy had clashed with yet another director after the re-shoot conflicts with Gareth Edwards on Rogue One and the firing of Phil Lord and Chris Miller from the Han Solo film, but Trevorrow's run had been so controversial that most fans just wanted to look forward and speculate on what could be next. I initially thought that it would be Rian Johnson, the filmmaker behind The Last Jedi who reportedly managed to have a harmonious working relationship with Kennedy and Lucasfilm. Everyone talks about how the studio is extremely happy with Johnson's cut, and it seemed like a natural decision to have him finish the trilogy. Some believed that Lucasfilm would hire a female filmmaker, such as Patty Jenkins (who, at the time, hadn't inked her deal for Wonder Woman 2) or A Wrinkle in Time director Ava DuVernay. For one short week, theories ran rampant and people threw out an endless number of directors who they hoped would take over the project.
But in the end, it appears that Star Wars is going full circle. Well, not entirely full circle, George Lucas isn't coming back. But yes, it will be J.J. Abrams behind the camera for Star Wars: Episode IX, finishing the trilogy that he started with 2015's The Force Awakens. The news was confirmed this morning by Lucasfilm, and it was also revealed that Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio, the writer behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and more importantly, Ben Affleck's Argo. Kennedy had this to say about welcoming Abrams back into the Star Wars universe: "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."
This is a welcome decision by Lucasfilm, even if it isn't necessarily a surprising one. After the conflicts with Lord and Miller, Trank, and Trevorrow over the years, it seemed like an unlikely proposition that Kennedy would seek out a true auteur for this film. Options like DuVernay and Brad Bird were enticing, but given the current demands of the Lucasfilm environment, I think familiarity is best for all involved. Abrams is a decidedly safe choice, and it's unlikely that he'll reinvent the wheel. While I loved Force Awakens, there is certainly some validity to the claims that he basically created a remake of A New Hope. But I have a feeling that Episode IX will feel less like a soft reboot and more like a melding of the sensibilities of both Abrams and Johnson- hopefully The Last Jedi leaves some lasting ripple effects and narrative threads for the final chapter to complete. Abrams may not be the most "exciting" choice for fans hoping for fresh blood, but I'm never going to complain about the guy who directed Super 8 and Star Trek getting the chance to helm a big blockbuster. Abrams knows his stuff, and he doesn't deserve the reputation that he has gotten in some circles over the years. Even with its narrative similarity to its predecessor, The Force Awakens resolved many of the complaints that fans had about Lucas's prequel trilogy, introducing us to new characters and bringing the series back to life. In the aftermath of franchise that has come upon tough times in recent months, Abrams seems like the right man for the job.
The Star Wars trilogy will continue with The Last Jedi on December 15, but the Abrams-directed Episode IX won't hit theaters until May 24, 2019 (although this is subject to change- the Lucasfilm announcement does not list a release date).
Images: IMDB/Paramount/Disney
After Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow's mostly unsurprising exit from Star Wars: Episode IX was announced by Disney and Lucasfilm last week, everyone's attention turned to who would replace him. Yes, there was plenty of discussion centered around the fact that Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy had clashed with yet another director after the re-shoot conflicts with Gareth Edwards on Rogue One and the firing of Phil Lord and Chris Miller from the Han Solo film, but Trevorrow's run had been so controversial that most fans just wanted to look forward and speculate on what could be next. I initially thought that it would be Rian Johnson, the filmmaker behind The Last Jedi who reportedly managed to have a harmonious working relationship with Kennedy and Lucasfilm. Everyone talks about how the studio is extremely happy with Johnson's cut, and it seemed like a natural decision to have him finish the trilogy. Some believed that Lucasfilm would hire a female filmmaker, such as Patty Jenkins (who, at the time, hadn't inked her deal for Wonder Woman 2) or A Wrinkle in Time director Ava DuVernay. For one short week, theories ran rampant and people threw out an endless number of directors who they hoped would take over the project.
But in the end, it appears that Star Wars is going full circle. Well, not entirely full circle, George Lucas isn't coming back. But yes, it will be J.J. Abrams behind the camera for Star Wars: Episode IX, finishing the trilogy that he started with 2015's The Force Awakens. The news was confirmed this morning by Lucasfilm, and it was also revealed that Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio, the writer behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and more importantly, Ben Affleck's Argo. Kennedy had this to say about welcoming Abrams back into the Star Wars universe: "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."
This is a welcome decision by Lucasfilm, even if it isn't necessarily a surprising one. After the conflicts with Lord and Miller, Trank, and Trevorrow over the years, it seemed like an unlikely proposition that Kennedy would seek out a true auteur for this film. Options like DuVernay and Brad Bird were enticing, but given the current demands of the Lucasfilm environment, I think familiarity is best for all involved. Abrams is a decidedly safe choice, and it's unlikely that he'll reinvent the wheel. While I loved Force Awakens, there is certainly some validity to the claims that he basically created a remake of A New Hope. But I have a feeling that Episode IX will feel less like a soft reboot and more like a melding of the sensibilities of both Abrams and Johnson- hopefully The Last Jedi leaves some lasting ripple effects and narrative threads for the final chapter to complete. Abrams may not be the most "exciting" choice for fans hoping for fresh blood, but I'm never going to complain about the guy who directed Super 8 and Star Trek getting the chance to helm a big blockbuster. Abrams knows his stuff, and he doesn't deserve the reputation that he has gotten in some circles over the years. Even with its narrative similarity to its predecessor, The Force Awakens resolved many of the complaints that fans had about Lucas's prequel trilogy, introducing us to new characters and bringing the series back to life. In the aftermath of franchise that has come upon tough times in recent months, Abrams seems like the right man for the job.
The Star Wars trilogy will continue with The Last Jedi on December 15, but the Abrams-directed Episode IX won't hit theaters until May 24, 2019 (although this is subject to change- the Lucasfilm announcement does not list a release date).
Images: IMDB/Paramount/Disney
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