Though we have Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi to look forward to in December, there’s still the return of J.J. Abrams to think about as he’s set to direct Star Wars: Episode IX. The Force Awakens director is returning to the franchise after Colin Trevorrow was fired last month over creative differences, giving Abrams the chance to close out the trilogy he began. What exactly he’s planning is anyone’s guess until the release of The Last Jedi, but he has given thought to doing something different in a recent interview.
Abrams recently appeared on the BBC with composer Michael Giacchino, the man who conducted the scores for Abrams’ two Star Trek films and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. When the conversation turned toward his return for Episode IX, Abrams spoke of a desire to take the franchise “elsewhere” so as to keep the series fresh.
“Well, it’s certainly something that I’m aware of now working on Episode IX – coming back into this world after having done Episode VII. I feel like we need to approach this with the same excitement that we had when we were kids, loving what these movies were. And at the same time, we have to take them places that they haven’t gone, and that’s sort of our responsibility. It’s a strange thing – Michael’s worked on things like Planet of the Apes and Star Trek and Star Wars, and these are the things of dreams. Yet we can’t just revel in that; we have to go elsewhere.”
One of the biggest criticisms of The Force Awakens is that Abrams played it too safe, rehashing too much of Star Wars: A New Hope’s plot while reinvigorating the franchise. Perhaps now he realizes the need to do something different to close the trilogy out while leaving enough open for future filmmakers to come back to should the franchise continue on after the Sequel Trilogy.
What do you think about Abrams comments? Are you excited at the thought he’ll take Star Wars: Episode IX ‘elsewhere’ or think it will be more of the same? Let us know below…
Originally published October 19, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
