ST J.J. Abrams to direct and co-write Star Wars: Episode IX (see warning on page 34 before posting)

Had a good nights sleep but I still don't see any positives to come from this.. If you're gonna have a director back for the second time it just really shouldnt be JJ. I don't believe he can close out the trilogy in an interesting and satisfying way when he couldn't even close out TFA in a satisfying way.

TLJ may very well be a very sursprising and fanbase deviding film but at least there will be a sense that some more thought was put into it. I wish RJ would be at least writing IX.

 

In the interest of accuracy MODS, perhaps the thread title should state that Abrams will "co-write and direct". Some people seem to be assuming the story will all come from Abrams. He's just one writer among two of them.

 

I generally agree. However, the OT has a very light touch about it, while I find JJ's touch to be heavier. He milks emotion while Lucas and Kersh stop for a second and then move on. The OT was breezy and fresh-faced, while TFA is almost neurotically frantic. It's a subtle but very significant difference to me.

However, you have a point. SW is traditionally a space opera. That said, I saw the OT. I loved the OT. But I don't necessarily need more of it. I'm an older person now that would like to see Star Wars mature a little. To iron out the pulpiness a bit, and venture more often into the mimetic mode. Though not entirely. Just an upgrade, if you will. I believe RO struck that balance between naturalism and pulp perfectly. And I'd like to see the GFFA generally move in that direction.

Though I do accept the concept that the saga will adhere to the OT style, while the spinoffs will experiment with different approaches. If, indeed, that still remains the case.

 

I'd imagine that is why an oscar winning writer is his co-writer.

 

Fair point. Title edited accordingly.

 

Agreed. That's a problem I've had with the old (and new) EU, and to some extent with R1. I prefer Star Wars as poetry, not prose.The further it gets from its pulpy roots, the less it engages me.

Also a fair point. Abrams's vibe is more breathless than breezy, and he leans into the emotions a lot harder. It doesn't quite match up to the classic SW aesthetic, and I can appreciate that some folks are more sensitive to that difference. But I'll take that heightened atmosphere any day over attempts to drag SW into straight sci-fi.

(EDIT: Sorry for the delayed reaction, Gigoran Monk...I see that you already replied below. I was just trying to avoid a double post.)

 

I suppose I'm fine with JJ doing Episode IX.

I do feel that TFA was basically a "trailer for the ST," and that it was two hours of just reminding us how awesome the OT was with all of its nostalgia nods, but IMO I'd imagine LFL is aware that that is a persisting opinion and they would try to avoid retreading that a 2nd time, and by the time we reach the final part in this trilogy, we (hopefully) will have moved beyond that. Especially once we see TLJ, I'm sure JJ will want to continue on in the vein that the story and the tone should mature and develop from one to another, rather than naiively go back to the beginning in a tonal and aesthetic way. What I mean by that is I doubt JJ will basically make Episode IX to be TFA revisited-or possibly a "soft reboot" of ROTJ.

As it is, I like the fact that JJ will be doing it simply cos the directing style from a visual standpoint will be consistent, which could help the trilogy fit together more smoothly from a stylistic point of view. That is, unless RJ did something completely different with TLJ, in which case it will stick out like a sore thumb in between JJ's installments. But based on what (little) we've seen so far of TLJ, I doubt that will be the case,,,

 

That's perfectly fair. It's just not the case with all fans.

But KK has already developed a perfect solution. Very pulpy saga films and anthology films that depart from that style a bit. Which is why, at this stage, I'm generally more excited about the anthologies than I am for the saga.

 

There were enemy walkers in AOTC?

Maybe we should add that to the book of words/phrases/sentences we should not write about the ST in this section.

People have a right to write almost any word of criticism here. They build their hopes on past experiences and if they're disappointed in JJ's first SW movie, if the second one has some nods to TESB even in the teaser, then it's foolish to expect him to move on in the third movie. TFA was set 30 years from ROTJ and it turned to be ANH, not something from it's own time. I remember those words, he's likely not itching to copy the OT, three years ago. Boy, I was wrong.

 

Oscar or not, I'm not impressed with his writing either.

 

Thank you for being our first example to demonstrate that this is not the TFA Cave. Hopefully this is a lesson to everyone.

 

Breathless. That's the word. That constant, nearly-talking-over-each-other frenetic pace where everyone is either always running or walking really, really fast is a staple of Abrams films that will never be my speed. But again, I think JJ is going to try to deliver his best here, and that's an encouraging thought.

Who said anything about stripping people of their right to write?

 

What an unpleasant read this thread is!

I think this is great news. Finally the TFA and JJ haters can leave the TFA thread and hang out somewhere else. Must have been lonely in there for the last 18 months.

Once RJ turned it down, it was the best option for Lucasfilm. Plus JJ gave us the biggest grossing movie of all time, the film that most Star Wars fans have in their top 3, fantastic new characters and a fantastic send-off for Han.

...... leaves thread, never to come back.





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

You know what would be wonderfully ironic?

Two years and three months from now, Star Wars Episode IX: Reyturn of the J.Jedi gets released into cinemas worldwide, and it turns out that Abrams has done exactly what we begged him to do. He has written and directed a strikingly original Star Wars story - one that eschews all the familiar plot and character beats from the old movies, and gives the saga something it hasn't seen before.

And the internet promptly erupts with distressed fans lamenting that he has thereby ruined Star Wars (again).

 

Similar types of vehicles. And Yoda training some young Jedi. And a ship dodging its way through an asteroid field. And Boba Fett. And...

 

Given you weren't happy with TFA and most people were, it perhaps won't come as a complete surprise that a lot of folks will not agree with you here.

 

Well said!

 

I was happy with TFA because Star Wars was back. And it gave us new characters to care about. And it wasn't terrible. But it really wasn't such a great film. And I wanted the trilogy to move on from it and bring more depth. Which is exactly what TLJ seems to be doing. To then revert back to TFA's director and writer seems like it's a massive step backwards. I have no trust in JJ to keep developing the characters in IX and bring it to a close. I hope he can surprise me come december 2019 but I don't think I'll be anywhere near as excited about it.

 

So why did Colin leave?

 

Another Kennedy assassination

 

hmmm....i loved TFA but i am a bit disappointed about this very safe choice...we'll see. TFA is very good IMO but it has many flaws that i think are inherent to JJ's style. He's good with the casting/acting and directing but he need to up his game to end the ST on a high note. Basically: more depth, more subtle/coherent/challenging storytelling & more originality/creativity. That was OK for the first episode, a thrilling new ride in the ST universe with lot of nostalgia and interesting new characters, but we need something meatier, bolder to close up the new trilogy. Hopefully JJ will be conscious of it and that plus RJ's story in TLJ will make JJ go out of his comfort zone. Also he's not the only writer so the other one might add interesting stuff in there too.

 

A long time ago in a galaxy far,far away.

 

Creative differences again?

 

We all know that when George does it's the visionary genius of ring theory, when anyone else does it it's rehash.

 

We know JJ can start a story and create mysteries with open ends, but is he able to connect all lose ends to a rounded storyline?