JJ Abrams to write and direct Episode IX

It's IX! It's the end of the trilogy. He knows he has to do that haha I wouldn't be surprised if he planned this all along, and knew he'd have to be the one to open the mystery box.

 

Maybe IX is just the beginning. JJ is back for preparing us for EPX. Haha!

 

J. J. Abrams: “I’d be lying if I said there weren’t pangs of regret [about not directing Episode VIII]. Particularly when I realize I won’t get to say ‘Action!’ to Daisy Ridley, or get to work with Mark Hamill in a scene where he gets to speak.” (November 22, 2016)

 

Not thrilled, but I'm not surprised. Heaven knows they could've done worse than having JJ return for Ep. 9. However, I hated the limited visual scope that JJ had set as a precedent for the ST with TFA. Ugly ships, boring planets and environments, etc. Anyhoo, I'm glad we're getting JJ over Trevorrow. Hopefully, HOPEFULLY, with Episode IX, he'll pull out all the stops. *fingers crossed*

 

Well they said they might expand past Lucas' original 9... stop it, Ren! You're getting me excited for a fabled X haha

 

I dont hate the choice LF made, but ............ I expected someone else.

 

JJ is probably the only one who can tolorate KK. It's a safe move. Ypu wont have the problems like all the other movies, besides TFA. I'm not ecstatic nor am I disappointed. Just meh, why not.

 

The Force Awakens, Batman v Superman and Argo are some of my favourite movies ever.

This is the best thing ever, sorry guys.

 

One can say this is a cynical move on Kennedy's part, but at least it's a safe bet. It's already been established that JJ can direct a SW movie. I don't think Kathleen wants to take any more chances at this late stage of the game or prolong the process of selecting another director. Rather get it done and have JJ start in on Ep. 9 soon than kick it on down the road. Plus Abrams created these new characters, more of less, so I guess it is best that he work with characters/actors he believes in than have some other director to come in from out of the cold. Despite this, I still have mixed emotions on Abrams returning. Let's hope for the best.

 

I just smiled thinking of those fans trying to cut their wrists.



Some will search for boxes once again.

 

I'm fine with this move because whatever the haters want to say about JJ, the guy does a good job of getting the audience to care about the characters. In this age of Blockbusters where most directors care more about big action scenes and CGI to wow people, JJ is sort of old school where he focuses on the characters just as much.

I liked TFA (not just because my beloved OT characters were back) but I cared just as much for Rey, Finn, Poe, BB8 and am intrigued by Kylo Ren. This was something Lucas could never accomplish with the PT because I just never cared about Anakin & Padme.

As for Episode 9 now being a possible reboot of ROTJ (that is knock on JJ), I disagree as he will only be finishing the story that Rian Johnson laid out in Episode 8. Star Wars, The Phantom Menace, and The Force Awakens are all introductions to the each trilogy that can sort of stand on their own (Star Wars 77 can stand on its own as it was made that way). ESB/ROTJ, AOTC/ROTS and now TLJ/Episode 9 are sort of Part1/Part2, so JJ can only take the story where Rian Johnson steered towards in Episode 8.

 

Above all, I truly hope JJ keeps his "mystery boxing" under control in Episode IX, because TFA left off with what I felt were too many questions.

Please, Kathleen, I encourage you to help JJ on this significant story-telling point. No unnecessary potentially fandom-divisive mysteries.

Star Wars is profound enough to surprise and inspire without such story-telling trickery.

If, as some reports suggest, The Last Jedi does not get much into Snoke's background, I certainly hope this is something defined (to the extent it would be helpful in establishing/validating Snoke as a rightful successor, villian-wise, to Palpatine) in Episode IX.

What also tends to concern me greatly, now with JJ back on board, is that he and Arndt could not decide what to do with Luke Skywalker in Episode VII, hence the "disappeared"/MacGuffin treatment. You were handed one of the greatest (if not the greatest of) characters in Star Wars history and, at best, drew a blank?

Whatever you do, JJ, I hope you do not write Luke out of the storyline simply to make room for new characters. Honestly, please consider taking some refresher creative writing classes, rereading some classics, and/or seeking outside input (beyond the biased Story Group if necessary) if you still somehow reach such an unbelievable impasse.

I have been patient, mostly not publicly critical of the current storyline, and I do look forward to VIII, but, with so much of the remaining story now on the line, it must be said: Episode IX's script demands super-capable hands, superbly creative minds, and storytellers with hearts and souls to cultivate this trilogy into a fully satisfiable conclusion.

I am realistic and have no doubt there will be "doors left open" so as to leave room for possible future Episodes / trilogies, but I believe the all main Sequel-trilogy characters deserve arcs which should be very clearly defined by IX and terminate respectively with an excellent and justified sense of closure.

Anything less would be a regrettably lost opportunity: the Star Wars which could have been.

Well, with that, JJ, I do wish you, and Kathleen, and all others involved, the very best with this challenging project!

May the Force be with You!

 

My thoughts:

1. Disappointed. TFA was dull and unoriginal. JJ makes good films - nothing exceptional.
2. Not a particularly great sign for TLJ as it seems RJ has been utterly overlooked when he'd be the more logical choice.
3. I wonder if JJ was involved in the sacking of Trevorrow?
4. Better to have some continuity I guess though as 3 different visions from 3 different directions would make for a disjointed trilogy.

 

Do you seriously think they'll bring ANOTHER Death Star?

Its like when people said that Warner will bring back the bat-nipples when they casted Ben Affleck.

I love the Internet.

 

I cant speak to Argo besides knowing its positive reputation since I haven't seen it and Justice League looks like absolute trash so far.

But all that matters is the end product and I know all involved will certainly want to make it a good conclusion to this trilogy. I'm optimistic overall. With Trevorrow I didn't know what to expect at all.

 

I always believed it should be him or Rian.

Production will start in less than 6 monthes.

You need someone who already know the characters, who already spent a lot of time thinking about them
and about the possible end game (and It's preatty clear form old stataments/quotes that JJ and Kasdan did think about the possible
end game).

That said, I trust Rian, but I haven't seen TLJ, yet.
No one has it, beside LF and Disney. They may be positive about it, but they don't know - for real - how people will react.

In addition, I don't think that Rian is confortable with working on a script that existe to improve it.
That's what they're going to do, that's what is need to be done to have the film out in May or December 2019.

It cannot be 2019 if you have to start again with a brand new script. And that's what Rian should have done, or would have want to do, I suppose.

For all these reasons I honestly believed more likely that JJ was going to be the one taking the job.
But that's how logic works.

However, with that being said, I'm not disappointed at all.
On the contrary I'm looking forward to it.

I just don't get what the problem is with so called mistery boxes.

And I don't think that LOST can be used as the only comparison.
We know - in fact - that he has nothing to do with the serie from season 2.

And we know about other things he worked on: Alias and above all Fringe.
They are full of mistery boxes, but in the end them all are explained.

And more than everything I don't get what the problem with TFA is.
That's SW.
And SW is SW because it rhymes, etc...

He's the right man for the job.

 

Remind, in 1977 the safe bet was to decline that young Lucas's idiotic, sterile and uninteresting project.
Safe bets rarely lead to spectacular results, they lead to safe results - no less, no more.

 

I think that's the final nail for the Snoke is Plagueis coffin. The impression I get is that JJ likes his own characters... oh and completely new aliens because it's in a new part of the GFFA that only humans travel to from elsewhere.

Meh. Which is a good thing, it keeps my expectations low.