http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/01/24/jj-abrams-star-wars-episode-vii-movie/1862849/

The filmmaker moves from 'Star Trek' to another sci-fi pop-culture franchise.

The final frontier isn't enough for J.J. Abrams. Now he wants to explore a galaxy far, far away, too.

According to the Hollywood media/business blogThe Wrap, the Star Trek filmmaker and co-creator of TV's Lost will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first Star Wars movie since the last of the prequel trilogy, 2005's Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The new film is tentatively scheduled to be released in 2015.

The filming of a new Star Wars trilogy was part of Disney's $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm last fall.

Fan reaction was generally positive after the news of the sale, but in Abrams they are getting someone with serious nerd cred to move from Kirk and Spock to the universe of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.

In addition to creating the TV shows Lost and Fringe, Abrams rebooted the Star Trekfranchise with two movies — the second, Star Trek Into Darkness, arrives in theaters May 17 — and also directed 2011'sSuper 8, a sci-fi paean to Steven Spielberg movies.

Oscar winner Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) is writing the screenplay forEpisode VII, the first not penned by Star Wars creator George Lucas. Abrams is the first Star Wars film director other than Lucas since Richard Marquand with Return of the Jedi (1983). Lucas directed and wrote the original 1977 Star Wars, and Irvin Kershner helmed The Empire Strikes Back in 1980.

meh, I don't know what to say, this guy sure knows how to craft a modern CGI sci-fi movie, but his style is way too impersonal, and a bit bland, sure not as bland as Bryan Singer's, but I'd have preferred David Fincher or even Zack Snyder

and after Star Trek, uh, I mean, to direct both a SW film and a ST film is pure prositution in my opinion...

It seems like hell froze over.

The guy that does Star Trek now does Star Wars.

He did a terrific job with Star Trek (in my opinion), so I'm hoping he does well on Star Wars.

Anyways, I'm happy that the Star Wars stories will now continue at a faster clip and indefinately.

I like that quirky universe, and felt that Lucas really made some real duds there.

Decent choice; he will be effective in "broadening" the movie.

But I do wish Spielberg had done it.

I hope that he can effectively create a DIFFERENT "feel" to Star Wars.

oh lord.

It's not enough to ruin one institution of americana?

SMH. What the new star wars needs is a simple heartfelt story. I think JJ brings way too much BANG to his movies. I see alot of CGI which anyone could have thrown at the screen, but not a good story.

lazycrockett said:

SMH. What the new star wars needs is a simple heartfelt story. I think JJ brings way too much BANG to his movies. I see alot of CGI which anyone could have thrown at the screen, but not a good story.

yea... i like ST, but abrams doesnt do emotion or characters well. it was the same problem i had with lucas. both directors are a lot of visuals and not much heart.

that being said, michael arndt is writing the script, and he brings tons of heart. toy story 3 being the perfect example. he made you feel for those characters in a whole new way.

if abrams follows a good script, it should have heart.

i really wish speilberg had done it.

cborgman said:

lazycrockett said:

SMH. What the new star wars needs is a simple heartfelt story. I think JJ brings way too much BANG to his movies. I see alot of CGI which anyone could have thrown at the screen, but not a good story.

yea... i like ST, but abrams doesnt do emotion or characters well. it was the same problem i had with lucas. both directors are a lot of visuals and not much heart.

that being said, michael arndt is writing the script, and he brings tons of heart. toy story 3 being the perfect example. he made you feel for those characters in a whole new way.

if abrams follows a good script, it should have heart.

i really wish speilberg had done it.

Yeah, didn't expect to tear up on that one...

purplethunder3121 said:

cborgman said:

yea... i like ST, but abrams doesnt do emotion or characters well. it was the same problem i had with lucas. both directors are a lot of visuals and not much heart.

that being said, michael arndt is writing the script, and he brings tons of heart. toy story 3 being the perfect example. he made you feel for those characters in a whole new way.

if abrams follows a good script, it should have heart.

i really wish speilberg had done it.

Yeah, didn't expect to tear up on that one...

none of us did. we were all too busy worrying they were gonna screw the series up to predict it would be the best and most emotionally impactful one.

i didnt even make it through the credits. the second the tape stopped and they did that quick stop/fade out on the randy newman song, i started choking up

J.J. is first and foremost a Star Wars fan he was asked to make Star Trek hip, he and no one knew Star Wars would be up for grabs when they asked him to help out Star Trek.This movie is gonna rock!

lazycrockett said:

SMH. What the new star wars needs is a simple heartfelt story. I think JJ brings way too much BANG to his movies. I see alot of CGI which anyone could have thrown at the screen, but not a good story.

JJ is a big fan non CGI effects.

imago said:

lazycrockett said:

SMH. What the new star wars needs is a simple heartfelt story. I think JJ brings way too much BANG to his movies. I see alot of CGI which anyone could have thrown at the screen, but not a good story.

JJ is a big fan non CGI effects.

? Lost was full of CGI effects... so is Cloverfield, Star Trek, and Super-8. WatchatalkinboutImago?

He loves them lens flares. I don't like this idea of him directing a Star Wars movie unless there is a great script, because he is a director of flash and excitement that doesn't hold up to multiple viewings. He doesn't seem to really think out the plots and structure of his movie from a story level that works. I'm thinking of Super-8 and Star Trek.

He uses human emotion and excitment in the same brainless way Michael Bay uses explosions or low jokes. Without substance.

I did love the first few seasons of LOST though. Especially the first season. But I don't know if it holds up watching it again.

The thing about Star Wars (1977) was that it was so worked over with a perfectly structured plot and glimpse into this new world. Lucas kept reworking it and sweating it, and it held up to 100 views at the time.

ufoclub said:

imago said:

JJ is a big fan non CGI effects.

? Lost was full of CGI effects... so is Cloverfield, Star Trek, and Super-8. WatchatalkinboutImago?

He loves them lens flares. I don't like this idea of him directing a Star Wars movie unless there is a great script, because he is a director of flash and excitement that doesn't hold up to multiple viewings. He doesn't seem to really think out the plots and structure of his movie from a story level that works. I'm thinking of Super-8 and Star Trek.

He uses human emotion and excitment in the same brainless way Michael Bay uses explosions or low jokes. Without substance.

I did love the first few seasons of LOST though. Especially the first season. But I don't know if it holds up watching it again.

The thing about Star Wars (1977) was that it was so worked over with a perfectly structured plot and glimpse into this new world. Lucas kept reworking it and sweating it, and it held up to 100 views at the time.

I don't like the original star wars.

The only one of the movies I actually think is a good movie is Empire.

Abrams is a fan of live sets.

right now I'm more concerned about the story/dialogue/casting than the director / visual style...

It would be cool if the story used elements from 'The Thrawn Trilogy', and introduce Mara Jade.

[Edited 1/26/13 9:29am]

uPtoWnNY said:

It would be cool if the story used elements from 'The Thrawn Trilogy', and introduce Mara Jade.

[Edited 1/26/13 9:29am]

Agreed.

lazycrockett said:

SMH. What the new star wars needs is a simple heartfelt story. I think JJ brings way too much BANG to his movies. I see alot of CGI which anyone could have thrown at the screen, but not a good story.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the characters in the Star Trek movie. And I think that, as opposed to Lucas, who had to round himself into shape with Eps I and II to make a competent canon-worthy Episode III, Abrams is in fighting shape for Episode VII. Won't be Spielberg, or Nolan, for that matter, but I am relatively optimistic.

wrong thread edit.. i know NOTHING about star wars

[Edited 1/26/13 13:24pm]

Shortest. Sticky. EVER.

As for me I would rate him as competent. His Star Trek and Mission Impossibles were good but almost generic and almost disposable. The movies lacked depth and had plot holes and gaps that were pretty wide. I thought they were messily put together. Sure they had some charm, and that is something Star Wars desperately needs after the prequels, which were devoid of anything remotely resembling charm. It was as if Lucas had ILM create an algorithm, instead of actually directing the films.

I guess he is a solid choice, but I really feel nothing about his style, or lack of one. Maybe that's what Star Wars needs, not a heavy-handed artistic vision, just a competent director. I don't think JJ will screw it up at all, but I don't think he can deliver anything memorable either. Bottom line, he will turn in something far better than what Lucas delivered with the prequels.

[Edited 1/27/13 12:16pm]

^Talking bout pissing off both fanboy groups!!

uPtoWnNY said:

It would be cool if the story used elements from 'The Thrawn Trilogy', and introduce Mara Jade.

imago said:

Since I couldn't do this on FB....

I wish he directed one of the last three, Lucas should stop directing.

PurpleJedi said:

uPtoWnNY said:

It would be cool if the story used elements from 'The Thrawn Trilogy', and introduce Mara Jade.

It all depends on two questions . . . when is the film set, and WHO, exactly, will play Luke Skywalker.

If the Thrawn Trilogyis used, then Hamill can't play the role, without some tweaking.

If Hamill plays Luke again, I don't see the TT being used. Either way, so many fans who've read it will likely be upset.

Same applies for the Dark Empire storylines.

The Thrawn Trilogy is not being used.

Nor are any of the extended universe books and series.

The movie will be an original story, probably borrowing elements from the movie.

Hammil will reprise his role to some capacity as will Fischer.

But Disney has already said that movies outside the Skywalker episodes will be filmed.

If they stay with the original concept of the last 3 movies, its bout Luke, Han and Leia rebuilding the old republic.

This is what I got from wookepedia that lucas stated in 1983.

PlotEdit

Based on early statements from Lucasfilm, this set of films would have taken place from approximately 40 years after the events depicted in Return of the Jedi. The series would have been Episodes VII, VIII, and IX.

The sequel trilogy was to feature Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Master in his sixties, passing on the torch to the next generation of Jedi, the dismantlement of the last remnants of the Galactic Empire and the rebuilding of the Galactic Republic. It would also have concerned the re-establishment of the Jedi Order, as foreshadowed by Yoda's line in Return of the Jedi, "Pass on what you have learned." According to a 1983 Time magazine article, its main theme would have been "the necessity for moral choices and the wisdom needed to distinguish right from wrong".

George Lucas mentioned the sequel trilogy in an interview published in Denise Worrell's 1983 book Icons: Intimate Portraits. In the chapter entitled "The Dark Side of George Lucas", Lucas is reported to have only a vague notion of what will happen in the three films of a sequel trilogy. He is quoted as saying "If the first trilogy is social and political and talks about how society evolves, Star Wars is more about personal growth and self realization, and the third deals with moral and philosophical problems. The sequel is about Jedi Knighthood, justice, confrontation, and passing on what you have learned."

Now take it with a grain of salt of what will actually be the plot, but with all 3 actors having been talked to bout returning to the roles, it seems this is where the trilogy is headed.

imago said:

The Thrawn Trilogy is not being used.

Nor are any of the extended universe books and series.

The movie will be an original story, probably borrowing elements from the movie.

Hammil will reprise his role to some capacity as will Fischer.

But Disney has already said that movies outside the Skywalker episodes will be filmed.

It will be interesting to see whether they incorporate faces from the prequels into the new story . . . Neeson, McGregor, Jackson, etc.

imago said:

The Thrawn Trilogy is not being used.

Nor are any of the extended universe books and series.

The movie will be an original story, probably borrowing elements from the movie.

Hammil will reprise his role to some capacity as will Fischer.

But Disney has already said that movies outside the Skywalker episodes will be filmed.

Yeah Disney is pretty much milk the franchise for all its worth. I expect an ewok movie by 2017.