It was produced by lucasfilm and distributed by walt disney studios motion. Abrams and rian johnson have been working together already, in order to make sure that the transition between episode vii and episode viii is as seamless as possible. Just when the future of the star warsseries seemed possible to guess, the studio has thrown another curveball. The next installment in the star wars franchise now has a director, and most agree the choice of star trek and lost helmer j. This marked the fourth time lucasfilm had replaced a. Abrams will be staying on board as a producer of this new trilogy, he will be giving up the directors. Why did jj abrams give control of star wars episode viii to rian. The last jedi star daisy ridley seems to have revealed that director rian johnson scrapped the jj abrams episode 8 story, starting the sequels story from scratch. When abrams is finished relaunching the star wars universe, it will fall into the hands of rian johnson, the writerdirector of the 2012 timetravel. The director has said that he is striving with the rise of skywalker to have a. A few months ago the shock news landed that star wars episode ix director colin trevorrow had been fired by lucasfilm. Johnson was hired for the episode viii job way back in june 2014, tasked with continuing the story abrams began with 2015s the force awakens.
To hand it off to rian johnson and let him do whatever he wanted. Im pollack ferris for abc news live in chicago where we just when jj abrams director for the rise of skywalker he talked about. Star wars episode ix doesnt pick up immediately after the events of the last jedi. Rian craig johnson born december 17, 1973 is an american filmmaker. The last jedi star daisy ridley seems to have revealed that director rian johnson scrapped the jj abrams episode 8 story, starting.
Abrams declined for reasons only known to him, althou. Abrams was previously the director and a writer of star wars. Episode vii, it has been announced that writer and director rian johnson the brothers bloom, looper will not only be taking over as director for episode viii, but will be writing the script as well. Abrams is unbothered by the recent backlash to the. Abrams wrote or produced such films as regarding henry 1991, forever young 1992, armageddon 1998. Abrams is finally able to talk about how hell bridge the gap between his movie and rian johnsons the last jedi some fans of the longrunning franchise were let down by episode viii, as they felt it undid some of the groundwork laid by abrams in 2015s the.
Abrams might be retconning some of the more controversial decisions rian johnson made in the last jedi. Were a little more than two months away from the release of star wars. The force awakens director jj abrams may be having second thoughts about turning down the chance to direct the next star wars film the director has. Jj abrams to return as director it hasnt even been finished yet but its one of the most talked about films to come in the star wars franchise. Episode ix following the exit of former director colin trevorrow. Abrams to have possibly outlined where he thought star wars 8 and star wars 9 could go. In this edition of star wars news, an interview with jj which i used different trailer for footage, it has been revealed that he regrets deeply not being the director of this new movie, his. Disney and lucasfilm are turning to a familiar face to take the helm of star wars. With jj abrams back in the directors chair to close out the sequel trilogy on star wars. Will jj abrams save star wars franchise by directing. Abrams expressly turned down the opportunity to direct both episode viii and ix so that he could pursue other projects, prompting lucasfilm to get different directors for each. Abrams directed the entire star wars sequel trilogy. Abrams wasnt sure where episode viii would go when.
Abrams says rian johnson didnt derail the star wars story. Episode ix, is now in production with director and writer j. But the original jj abrams episode 8 story was scrapped by johnson. Star wars director jj abrams not jumping ship, says studio star wars episode vii pushed back to christmas 2015 jj abrams forthcoming space. Abrams was offered the chance to direct star wars 8 and star wars 9 while working on the force awakens, but he declined the. Star wars episode 8s script is finished, jj abrams confirms. Abrams comments are even more interesting given what rian johnson and daisy ridley have stated concerning the creative process on this new star wars. Rian johnson has responded to rumours that star wars.
The surviving members of the resistance face the first order once again, and the legendary conflict between the jedi and the sith reaches its peak bringing the skywalker saga to its end. Episode viii didnt really derail anything that we were thinking about. Jj abrams episode 8 story scrapped by rian johnson. Episode ix director jj abrams may retcon the character reys daisy ridley parentage during star wars. The last installment in the skywalker saga, star wars. The decades best shows, episodes, and where to stream our favorites. Jj abrams regrets not being director of star wars episode.
According to last jedi star daisy ridley, when abrams signed on to direct 2015s the force awakens, he also mapped out the entire story for the new star wars trilogy. If you look at the first eight films, all the setups of what were doing in ix. At 15, he wrote the music for don dohlers nightbeast 1982. Jj abrams plans to take star wars franchise elsewhere. With daisy ridley, john boyega, oscar isaac, adam driver. Abrams is evidently already having second thoughts about his decision to step out of the directors chair for the next star wars film. Episode ix, but a familiar replacement is already lined up. Jj abrams admits rian johnson took star wars 8 in another. So, lucasfilm decided to have a different director do each movie, similar to. In his senior year, he and jill mazursky teamed up to write a feature film, which. This is reasons why the original director colin trevorrow was let go because he wanted luke to live. Abrams wrote drafts for star wars 8 and star wars 9 before rian johnson took over and wrote what would become star wars. The last jedi director rian johnson has opened up about what he wants to see from the upcoming episode ix jj abrams kicked off the new trilogy by directing the force awakens in 2015.
Abrams wrote scripts for all star wars sequel trilogy installments, according to daisy ridley. Episode ix, the writerdirector plans to take the final installment in the. Abrams responds to episode 9s mixed response by jack shepherd 22 december 2019 warning. The official title polarized many fans and sparked worry that director j. What was the original plan made by jj abrams and his team. Ever since colin treverrow left as director on star wars episode 9, disney has been searching for a new director and it looks like both rian johnson. Abrams, who launched a new era of star wars storytelling with star wars.
The force awakens, the 2015 blockbuster that revived the star wars film franchise after a decade of dormancy and the. The last jedi 2017, and the murdermystery knives out 2019, the last of which was nominated for the golden globe award for best motion. Abrams gets why some fans didnt love the last jedi. Episode 9 director jj abrams originally said no returning to star wars felt like playing with fire after the force awakens, abrams says.
Episode vii the force awakens, it looks as though writer director jj abrams has once again proven himself a valuable asset to the production of practically any big budgeted scifiaction film. Abrams had written early versions of star wars episodes 8 and 9, but director rian johnson used none of. Lucasfilm wasted no time putting together the skywalker sagas sequel trilogy, recruiting rian johnson to write and direct the film that would eventually become the last jedi way back in 2014. Abrams admits his original ideas for the film that would eventually become the last jedi were different than what rian johnson ended up doing with the project.
One decision johnson made in the last jedi that threw fans for a loop. The force awakens in 2015 started filming episode ix on august 1, 2018, and marked the occasion by sharing a behindthescenes photo from the set in london. At that time, he had no idea he was going to come back to direct star wars 9. Abrams is evidently already having second thoughts about his decision to step out of the director s chair for the next. Abrams, kathleen kennedy, and bob iger definitely need to be on the same page, and better still i think should go public with some clarifying. Star wars 8 the last jedi actress daisy ridley has revealed she started crying immediately when she heard the force awakens director jj abrams was returning to helm episode ix. Jeffrey jacob abrams born june 27, 1966 is an american filmmaker. Jj abrams reveals why he really returned to direct star. Its only been a week since colin trevorrow left or was forced out of the directors seat for star wars. When lucasfilms trilogycapping star wars 9 was in a precarious position and needed a new director fast, the conversation with j. But when the opportunity presented itself to finish a story that we had begun with these new characters, to tell the last chapter of their story, it felt like there was a chance to do it in. This is an unusual admission for abrams, having just directed and cowritten the star wars film that, when it opens dec.
Why did jj abrams give control of star wars episode viii. Abrams said on friday at the star wars celebration in chicago time has passed. Episode viii the last jedi is a 2017 american epic space opera film written and directed by rian johnson. Abrams had no plans to be drawn back into the star wars franchise after 2015s the force awakens, he ended up coming back to direct the upcoming episode ix for. It is the second installment of the star wars sequel trilogy, following the force awakens 2015, and it is the eighth episode of the ninepart skywalker saga. The conspiracy theory says the directors version of. Abrams would replace colin trevorrow as the writer and director of star wars ix. The last jedi, which in 2017 followed abramss first star wars contribution.
Abrams planned on going to dental school, but decided to study film at sarah lawrence college. He is known for his work in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. He is known for writing and directing the neonoir film brick 2005, the comedydrama the brothers bloom 2008, the sciencefiction thriller looper 2012, the space opera star wars. I had no intention to return, says abrams, who directed 2015s the force awakens. Abrams will return to the series as the star wars episode 9 director, replacing colin trevorrow after he departed the project last week. Abrams couldnt resist returning for episode ix, out in 2019. Episode ix the rise of skywalker, and returning director j. Abrams was brought on by lucasfilm to direct episode 7, he was given the option to direct the entire sequel trilogy. When johnson was hired for that job, abrams was in the middle of principal photography on the force awakens, tasked with the. Abrams was named director of the first episode in the trilogy, the force.
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