CONFIRMED: J.J. Abrams to direct next ‘Star Wars’ for Disney

Variety and other Hollywood news sources are reporting today that J.J. Abrams is directing the next Star Wars after all.  There aren’t any details other than the fact Disney is close to closing the deal with Abrams. So treat this with a degree of skepticism until we see something official from Disney and/or Bad Robot directly.

UPDATE 01/26/2013: Confirmed by Disney and J.J. Abrams

 

UPDATE: Confirmed!
This joint statement from Disney and J.J. Abrams was released Friday afternoon:

After a bevy of emails and phone calls, the formalities have been wrapped up, and at long last everyone can exhale and properly share the word with an excited Internet. Yes, J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.

 “It’s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie,” said Kennedy. “J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture.”

George Lucas went on to say “I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”

“To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,” J.J. Abrams said. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”

The LA Times has a new article up called “J.J. Abrams directing ‘Star Wars’: What happens to ‘Star Trek’?”

According to Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore, Abrams — who directed both 2009′s “Star Trek” and the upcoming sequel “Star Trek Into Darkness” — will still be involved in some capacity with a possible third “Trek” movie, at the minimum as a producer, if not also directing the film.

Moore also pointed out that Abrams will continue to play a role in another of the studio’s most valuable franchises, “Mission: Impossible.”

“J.J. will continue to develop projects for us including a new ‘Mission: Impossible,’ and he is committed to produce another ‘Star Trek,’” Moore said Friday afternoon.

More from the LA Times

While it’s no secret J.J. was first and foremost a Star Wars fan before getting involved with Star Trek (2009) this goes against what TrekMovie had previously reported in December. Abrams told Empire Magazine that he passed on the other big “Star” franchise out of respect for his work with the Star Trek franchise:

“There were the very early conversations and I quickly said that because of my loyalty to Star Trek, and also just being a fan, I wouldn’t even want to be involved in the next version of those things. I declined any involvement very early on. I’d rather be in the audience not knowing what was coming, rather than being involved in the minutiae of making them.”

 

As always, keep checking TrekMovie for further developments.

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Wa wa wa what???

Did NOT see this coming!!! It’s true I hear. Kid was born with a spoon up his jeffries tube!

Nerds everywhere are about to lose their *fill in bad word here*

Aaaaaaaand back to mediocrity. For a guy (JJ) who’s been such a vocal fan of what made Star Wars …well classic Star Wars. I’m not surprised or even mad at him or anything for taking the gig. If I were him, I wouldn’t have passed it up at all. But personally I’m just not happy about this inside. It might not be fair but I just feel kinda let down. Then again I dont think Trek needs to go back to the old movie formula after this. I mean unless you really want the franchise to take the big dirt nap. JJ needs to make a 3rd (NOT produce, but DIRECT IT) and then leave it alone and let it go back to television. And for the love of everything holy, tv Trek can steer clear from being anything like Voyager or Enterprise…or TNG for that matter because while TNG was great in its day Trek on tv today should be an awesome mix of TOS, DS9, and BSG.

So he is a traitor by his own admission then. Ah well, he is clearly better suited to direct Star Wars than he is Trek, although I’m more a fan of Trek.

Anyone have any Saurian brandy? Here’s to ya, lads…

And for everyone saying they’re glad JJ is jumping ship- a. he hasnt said he wouldnt direct a 3rd movie and b. a change of director for the 3rd film probably wouldnt be so good for this cast who has really enjoyed working with JJ and has said they’ve basically loved the films because of what JJ brought to it. But hey, when a vocal minority is constantly ragging on you and your filmmaking abilities, why stick around when you’re not wanted?

Silver spoon. Silver. Proverbial, ya know… ;p

Feels incredibly disloyal, I must say.

Lets not forget JJ has an exclusive deal with Paramount through 2015. Lets not ruch to judgement until we hear it from BR, Paramout, or Lucas/Disney….

JJ’s a better fit for Star Wars.

How about Quintin Tarentino directing? Now he could remake The Wrath of Space Seed!

“Say “Beam me up, Scotty” again M%$# F$%#. Say it again.”

Jump ship??? Rubbish.

Giant GRATZ! to JJ and his team!

I thought he said he WASN’T going to direct the next Star Wars….. Red Herring? Is the S.C.O.S.T. going to be involved as well?

As a longtime Trek fan, I can’t say I’m disappointed. I have always looked ad Abrams’ version of Trek as being like “Star Trek: The RIde”. It’s not the smart, classic Trek that I grew up watching, but an amusement park ride; fun in its own way, but not really Star Trek. I would love to see someone return Trek to a smarter, more thought-provoking franchise with Trek 3, if indeed Abrams is off of it.

Say it ain’t so, JJ… :(

Disloyal, no… It’s his career, he can choose whichever project he wants to do.

Also, he has done movies in between the last Trek and this one, what’s to say he can’t run both franchises? Rivalry?

Go get em’ JJ. Bring us some epic Science Fiction!!!

Any thoughts on how this will affect release of third Star Trek film?

Regards.

10. Phil

Hollywood studios are extremely competitive and see Star Trek and Star Wars as competing franchises. This would be like Christopher Nolan going to direct Spider-Man after the Dark Knight. There is little chance Paramount will want to bring Abrams back for a 3rd movie if he is directing a competing franchise.

How worthy of a Romulan! :p
Honestly, he maybe fits there better… ;)

Can’t wait to see the new Death Star built on the ground with lots of lens flares.

Since this isn’t a Star Wars website, the only relevance is whether JJ will do the right thing and step off Star Trek so that we don’t have to wait 4+y for the next Trek.

I think he’s a good fit for Wars, better than he was for Trek, anyway.

I think this is great news for J.J. and his team if it’s true, and I’m a big fan of what he’s done for the Star Trek franchise.

I just don’t understand why people have to label him as a turncoat or traitor. Why the hell can’t he do both if he wants to? Must we really continue some silly ass rivalry that began in the 70s and 80s?

I mean, it’s not as if the man abandoned ship in the middle of filming Into Darkness to take over Star Wars. THAT would be more of a turncoat thing to do.

I swear, I really think Trek fundamentalists look for any excuse to hate on Abrams after he did the franchise a favor.

Bryan Singer for Star Trek 3…please!!!

And as it was The Wrap that broke the news, I think you guys should credit them for it, rather than Variety. But w/e.

“The Force is with JJ ?….”
______

Yes!

The force is with him!

That is why “some” are trying to FORCE his hand to direct a movie a few directors (including himself… until recently, apparently) did not want to direct…

My source?
Myself.

At any rate, no matter what happens next…take care Mr. Abrams.

:)

ABRAAAMS!!! “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.” Silver lining: time for Jonathan Frakes to direct ST3

And Brad Bird or Matt Reeves for Trek XIII, perhaps?

Or would Alex Kurtzman be willing to do it?

“I just don’t understand why people have to label him as a turncoat or traitor. Why the hell can’t he do both if he wants to? Must we really continue some silly ass rivalry that began in the 70s and 80s?”

Mainly it has to do with division of talent and attention. If you have a great idea for a space opera and you’re already working on a space opera…..use the ideas on the one you’re on! It’d be one thing if in 5 years, he decided to give SW a shot after he’d said all he had to say in the Trek universe. But he hasn’t. There’s a new Trek on the horizon and it’ll feel like the public he’s moved on to what he really wanted to do in the first place….tell a Star Wars story.

PR-wise, make the deal and announce it after Trek 2 has run it’s course and you’ve passed it off to another producer/director. It’s a slap in the face. You don’t see Madonna announcing a similar album on another label while she’s busy promoting the one she hasn’t even come out with on the label she’s already on do you?

“Silver lining: time for Jonathan Frakes to direct ST3”

No. Ever forward, not backward.

His loyalty to Trek sounds like a tactic to get more money from Disney.

Paramont, your move.

30.

Did he announce it though? No, not yet. This is all the Hollywood trade papers reporting it.

He’s not doing interview for Into Darkness right now and saying to the interviewer “Hey by the way, I’m doing Star Wars!”

Let’s not blow it out of proportion.

As long as Lucas does not, I’m in support.

They made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Brad Bird could make a great Trek movie, I think. The Iron Giant proves he knows what sci-fi is really about.

ohhh not sure what to think about this….i always thought i’d love to see Anton Yelchin as Luke though, but i think they are going to steer clear of Trek actors now :/

Bring back Nick Meyer!

@31 thank you for saying that

Sounds to me like whatever “loyalty” he asserted a few weeks ago has withered. The other report I read indicated the projected date for SW was 2015, which tells me there’s almost no chance he’d be around for a third Trek movie. And I wonder if Paramount has released him from any further effort on their part, including a presumptive new Mission Impossible flick?

Hmmm…

Soon, Star Wars fans will be hating JJ for making Star Wars go all Star Trek.

Happy news!!! Except that Star Trek 3 will now be pushed back to 2017, but a small price to be to have him in charge of both!!!

I told you all

star wars is just larger than life……

and no the Prequels don’t suck.

I’ve never bought the argument that JJ is more Star Wars, simply because he was a childhood fan. Watching him speak, and reading his influences I was pleased to see his love for the Twilight Zone. A lot of guys from that show ended up on Trek and brought a lot of the same sensibilities with them and made some of the best Trek eps ever.

I’m a fan of the mystery box. And I loved the film, old trekkie that I am. :)

the prequels totally suck :)

41. Lol. “Star Wars is explosions, not messages!”

Oh, great! Jeez, last time he turned “Star Trek” into “Star Wars”, and now he wants to reverse that by turning “Star Wars” into “Star Trek” ??!!

HOW DARE HE!!!!

(stomps off, leaves room)

SLAM!!!

BANG!!! SMASH!!! THUD!!! CRASH!!! SMASH!!!!

“WOOKIE MAMA!!!”

CCCCLLLLLLAAAAAYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYAAAAAAANNNNNGGG!!!

:-D

Traitorous son of a lens flare.

Well, at least maybe we’ll get a decent director for Star Trek 17.

I hope that he ends up doing both the next Star Wars and the next Trek.
Congratulations JJ!
“Traitor”
REALLY?
We are just talking abou movies here, not war

10. Uh, does he have an exclusive deal with Paramount? As in he can’t direct for anyone else, ever? Do those still exist?