We are now just 10 months away from J.J. Abrams taking us to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and when the trailer was released late last year, there was quite a stir with Star Wars fans particularly around the lightsaber hilt.
“It’s been the funniest thing to see the arguments that have developed over this thing,” Abrams told Collider about the controversy over the lightsaber hilt.
It was announced that Rian Johnson (Looper) would be helming Star Wars Episode VIII, but possibly not Episode IX if Abrams is anything to go by. But what involvement will he have with the pictures once he’s set the scene? “I wouldn’t say 8 and 9 are my baby, Rian will be working at least on 8, but I’m executive producing those films, yeah.”
Abrams also left the Federation to join the rebels after directing Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, leaving the third (or thirteenth) instalment to be directed by Justin Lin (Fast and Furious 6). It was also announced that Simon Pegg (The World’s End) would be co-writing the script – something that Abrams is a fan of.
“[Pegg] and I had talked quite a bit about story, he had a lot of wonderful ideas,” Abrams said. “It just sort of felt obvious that he would be a wonderful person to work on the story and help craft the story, so he’s working on it.”
Check out the video below:
SEE ALSO – J.J. Abrams on the pressure of directing Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set for release on December 18th 2015 and also sees returning stars Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) joined by Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year), Andy Serkis (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Miltos Yerolemou (Game of Thrones), Max von Sydow (The Exorcist), Jessica Henwick (Spirit Warriors), Christina Chong (24: Live Another Day) and newcomers Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen. Check out the podcast review of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer and our video review below:
Originally published February 6, 2015. Updated July 3, 2023.
