We can add J J Abrams’s name to the list of those who have taken themselves out of the running for the director’s chair for Star Wars: Episode VII.
Speaking in an interview with Empire magazine’s iPad edition (via Bleeding Cool), Abrams confirmed that he was approached about directing the recently announced sequels, but declined due to his commitment to Paramount’s Star Trek franchise which he successfully rebooted for them.
Not surprised that he passed and not surprised that he was offered the job. Between his work on the Star Trek and the Mission: Impossible franchises, Abrams is one of Paramount’s star players. I can see the attractiveness of Disney wanting him to work his magic on the Star Wars franchise and I don’t suppose that the prospect of wooing Abrams away from Star Trek weakening that franchise wouldn’t be such a bad thing from Disney’s perspective either.
Of course, the mind does real at what a J J Abrams-directed Star Wars film would look like. I imagine there would be lots of lens flare from the lightsabers.
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