It's finally official. We have our director for Star Wars Episode VII.
J.J. Abrams.
Lucas Film officially broke the news last night. You can read their statement HERE.
I don't know if there was ever any doubt when the first rumors started to leak. As big as fan as Abrams is why would he shun the opportunity to do with this franchise that he did with Star Trek? I'll be honest, if it weren't for J.J. I'd have no interest in anything Trek related. Dude resurrected a series of films that I considered dead. I know that wasn't true for everyone, but it was for me.
Is this a good move? I think so.
I can't remember the first time I watched A New Hope. I was that young. As a kid the Star Wars movies filled me with a sense of wonder, and stimulated my imagination. I wanted to do battle with a Light Saber and learn to use the Force. I thought Yoda was the smartest little alien I'd ever seen and was elated when the original trilogy was re-release to theaters. I can remember my dad taking my brother and I to see Episode IV. Getting to see the original Star War movie on the big screen was one of the coolest moments of my childhood.
Okay, why do I think J.J. Abrams is a good choice to direct the new film?
First, watch Super 8. The guy understands wonder and fantasy and surrealness (Yes, I know that's not a word). The kids in that movie made me feel like I was eight years old again and I think that's going to be an important aspect of the new movies. Adults are going to need to go in and feel like kids again. They're going to need to rediscover the imagination of their childhood and relive the moments of the original movies.
And kids are going to need to be kids. Without children we wouldn't have Star Wars. Without kids George Lucas wouldn't have had the success he did. I think J.J. Abrams can bring this important aspect to the new movies. If you take all the Science Fiction elements away from Super 8 you'd still have a damn good movie. The kids made that movie what it was.
The other important thing is that J.J. Abrams is a fan of the original movies. I hope that means he'll bring a sense of respect to the new films. I hope he honors the originals and puts all the love he has as a fan into the new films. In the minds of many fans the bar is very high. I'm not sure if he'll reach it but he can't do any worse than Episode I-III.
May the force be with you!
