“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,” — Kathleen Kennedy LucasFilm President
Announced on the official Star Wars website – starwars.com – is the announcement that director J.J. Abrams would be picking up the Star Wars baton and carrying Star Wars Episode IX (due out in 2019). Abrams will be effectively closing out the Skywalker Saga with Episode IX, the three sets of trilogies that make up the core of the Star Wars universe. This will also push the movie from spring 2019 to December 2019.
Abrams is stepping in to the role for the film (which some say will be begin principle filming in early 2018) after director Colin Trevorrow was ousted from the showrunner’s chair by LucasFilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Trevorrow and Kennedy reportedly butted heads over creative differences and the level of creative control required.
This comes hot on the heels of the news of not only Rian Johnson declining the opportunity but also news of Ron Howard stepping in to replace Phil Lord and Chris Miller on the Han Solo anthology spin-off film.
J.J. Abrams director the 2009 revival of the Star Trek universe, called – appropriately – Star Trek as well as 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness. Not only was it a revival but Abrams skyrocketed the film to become the third highest grossing film in the history of cinema, bested only by Titanic and Avatar. He remained on as producer for Star Trek: Into Darkness while transitioning to the Star Wars franchise to direct 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. After TFA, Abrams again moved back to a Producer role for the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This is his normal modus operandi however he will be breaking his own mold by again stepping back to the director’s chair the Episode IX.
Abram will co-write Episode IX with Chris Terrio (Argo, Justice League)
If you ask this die-hard Star Wars fan, I say “Great Choice”! J.J. is a tried-and-true director in this genre. He has proven he can do it well, stay true to canon and what makes it all so great. He has come out of the Kathleen Kennedy camp unscathed and he will do it justice.
It’s a perfect choice.
