Well, we know that there are some directors who would not take on the job of directing the recently announced new Star Wars films, there are two directors who hinted that they would be open to the idea. And coincidentally, those two directors are ones whose names have been bandied about in the press as possible contenders – Colin Trevorrow and Guillermo Del Toro.
First up is Trevorrow, director of the indie time travel film Safety Not Guaranteed, who has already been reported as having met with Lucasfilm presumably about the gig. And while he didn’t confirm that meeting while talking to Moviezine (via JoBlo), he didn’t exactly deny that the meeting took place.
It is not something that I can comment too much on. But I can definitely say, I am as much of a fan of Star Wars as everyone else for whom Star Wars was the most important thing in their life, when they were a kid. I’m deeply aware of how profoundly important it is, to billions of people. It really is a mythology and possibly even a belief system for a lot of people. I certainly can’t comment on what my involvement may ever be, I can definitely say that I would absolutely love to direct a Star Wars film at some point in my life. That would be incredible, I’m not daunted by it.
Lots of shades of grey in that quote, particularly that he can’t “comment too much” on it. Definitely sounds like a non-confirmation confirmation that there is some truth to the reports of him meeting with Lucasfilm. Of course, with only one film under his belt, and a rather small one at that, would Disney feel he is the right man for what would be a much bigger job?
Del Toro is one who is no stranger to big jobs, having spent much time working with Peter Jackson developing The Hobbit before potential delays due to MGM’s financial problems sent him packing to do the “monsters versus giant robots” blockbuster Pacific Rim for Warner Brothers. But even with some of the requisite experience for a Star Wars film, he still states that he would need to at least think about it. As he told Fanhattan –
You know, I saw it on the Internet, but I haven’t approached them, they haven’t formally approached me. I mean, I heard some rumblings, but to me it’s really — I have so many projects to discuss or think about. Something that is not a possibility yet, I don’t do that. You know, because I have so many things that I need to catch up with. If this becomes ever a reality, and there’s an approach to do it, I would then think about it, but it’s like thinking if I want to date a supermodel. I don’t think about these things.
Now I should point out that Fanhattan states that the emphasis on “formally” is Del Toro’s not their’s. Again, if we parse that, it does sound as if there were some informal talks. But in a recent interview with Collider, Del Toro did state that he was looking to do something a bit different as a follow up to Pacific Rim.
We certainly started tossing ideas for possibilities of a sequel [to Pacific Rim] and Travis Beacham and I are writing a proposal of ideas, but at the same time I know I don’t want to do that next. I want to do something else, I want to do something in a different genre that’s not so big. So I don’t know yet what it’s gonna be, but I know that next year I’m delivering Pacific Rim in July and then I’m doing—God willing—the voice shooting for Pinocchio and then the pilot for The Strain for FX.
Would Del Toro change his plans if Lucasfilm came knocking with an offer? Well, we know he would at least think about it.
