OFFICIAL: J.J. Abrams Will Direct ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

The Internet was practically set ablaze on Thursday when reports rang out that current Star Trek director J.J. Abrams would be taking the reigns of Disney and LucasFilm’s newly-announced third Star Wars trilogy. Now, these reports have been officially confirmed by StarWars.com: J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII.

A lifelong fan of Star Wars, Abrams may be the perfect choice, if his past films are any indication. Abrams has had a longstanding working relationship with LucasFilm’s effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, on his blockbusters Mission: Impossible III and Super 8. And with 2009‘s Star Trek (and its forthcoming sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness), Abrams brought a kinetic energy and sense of fun that many fans felt may have been missing from George Lucas’s Star Wars prequels.

Lucas himself has been quoted as saying, “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, his longtime producing partner, Bryan Burk, and his production company, Bad Robot, are set to produce Episode VII with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney/LucasFilm banner. “J.J. is the perfect director to helm this,” says Kennedy. “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.”

The script for Episode VII is being penned by Michael Arndt. An Oscar winner for his work on Little Miss Sunshine, Arndt already has ties to the House of Mouse, having worked on Toy Story 3. Also consulting on Episode VII are Lawrence Kasdan (screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi) and Simon Kinberg (whose writing credits include Sherlock Holmes and Mr. & Mrs. Smith).

Reaction on the Internet seems to be mostly positive, with Abrams feeling like a good choice for Star Wars. We here at Flickchart even picked him as a decent choice to direct (though we certainly won’t claim we thought of it first). Though he publicly stated some time ago that he would pass on directing Star Wars, and would rather be a paying member of the audience, Abrams seems to have had a change of heart. “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,” he says. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”

The news that Abrams will take on Star Wars suddenly means that he finds himself the man in charge of two of the greatest franchises in science fiction history. Of course, one of the biggest questions now becomes: What will happen to Star Trek? Surely Paramount will be concerned that every interview between now and May for Star Trek Into Darkness will be hijacked by questions of Episode VII. 

But if Into Darkness is a hit, it will mean good news for the other “Star” franchise. And Abrams is notorious for his multitasking; even now, the creator of Alias, LOST and Fringe has two more television series going to pilot. The man shows no sign of slowing down; and with Star Wars in the hands of a man who is, first and foremost, a fan, the road to 2015 should be an interesting one.

via StarWars.com