BREAKING: JJ Abrams Directing ‘Star Wars Episode VII’

UPDATED: The official press release just dropped tonight and is included below.

So yeah, the news that broke the internet today and even stole my earlier scoop’s thunder.

Lucas Shaw at TheWrap has exclusively reported that JJ Abrams got the Star Wars gig.

He is directing Episode VII.

Ugh.

Whatever.

I really thought Jon Favreau was going to get the gig.

The Wrap story further says that:

Lucasfilm Chief Kathleen Kennedy has been courting Abrams, one of the most successful directors and producers in Hollywood — and a man beloved by fanboys. He runs one of the industry’s top production companies, Bad Robot, and created or co-created television franchises like “Lost,” “Fringe” and “Alias.” He has also directed film spectacles “Mission: Impossible III,” “Star Trek” and “Super 8.”

The lure of the Jedi was too strong, and it will no doubt complicate his relationship with Paramount, where Bad Robot is a top supplier. Abrams has been feverishly working on “Star Trek Into Darkness,” his second Star Trek film since he rebooted the franchise in 2009. “Into Darkness,” still in post-production, opens May 18.

I’m not feeling it because I’m like, dude, didn’t you just direct a Star Trek sequel?! A lot of the trekkies I know are not having it. They feel betrayed. I would too. But the kicker to me is that Abrams denied directing the new Star Wars movie back in November which goes to show that you can’t trust official denials anymore FROM ANYONE.

Let that be a lesson to would be debunkers.

Regardless, we should be getting the official press release soon.

Press Release:

“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.”

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Source: TheWrap

http://www.facebook.com/people/Carlitos-Becerra/818105493 Carlitos Becerra

seems like they hired him just because he has a large nerd fan base…this is just like the time Joss Whedon got hired for Avengers.
Barrett

He’s way better than Favreau and you know it. Also his Star Trek movies are way closer to Star Wars in terms of style anyways, so any Trekkie who feels betrayed probably felt betrayed when the 2009 movie came out and probably would have felt betrayed when the sequel comes out this summer. Who cares.
BOSELECTA

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hewlett

I don’t get the whole betrayal thing – a job is a job. Would people flail and go ape if Patrick Stewart showed up in… okay, yes, but it’d be a really silly thing to do. You can hardly stop it happening, and it’s got more chance of being good than bad. Feels it, anyway.
But that is some unsettling stuff, with the backtracking and what have you.
MookieMoo

My interest has now been slaughtered in these movies. But they will be bootleg worthy as curious oddities.
Demtities

Way to stab star trek in the back and walk away from it you bastard
ANTI Douche

Lense flares.
Cool.
beane2099

Given how he handled Star Trek, I’m all for it. Wonder what that means for the Trek franchise though? I guess it’s possible that he flip back to Trek after episode VII. Seeing as how it took four years to get Into Darkness made, I could see 2017 being the next time we another Trek movie. I really do think we’ll be getting Whedon on Episode VIII or IX though. My guess is they’ll have the next one prepping to shoot while this is in production.
disqus_LpqtCF9JBU

I think it’s great! Makes me even more excited about the new movies. Favareu’s a solid director, but really a journeyman (he has his ups, “Iron Man,” and his downs, “Cowboy & Aliens,” just like J.J. and “Star Trek” and “Super Eight”).
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=550540487 Cathal Looby

STAR WARS ……NOW WITH ADDED LENS FLARE!!!!!!…..And in 3D no doubt.My eyes will be in bits I tell ya!
MrGoyaOhBoya

Uh… early April Fools? I like a lot of Abrams’ output, but this cross-pollenation doesn’t sit well. And I just don’t see his vision matching up with Star Wars’ fairy tale roots. Huh. I was rooting for Bird. Oh well. Wait and see.
BlackManINC

It only seemed natural that they got JJ Abrams for this since he did an excellent job with Star Trek. We”ll know for sure if JJ is the right guy depending on how well he did with the next Star Trek movie.
rsixsmith

if there’s one thing abrams can handle, it’s interpersonal dynamics between characters. also humor that can be appreciated by anyone who’s older than 10. i didn’t care about any of the characters, save maybe ben, in the prequels, and few of them were believably invested in the others. the dialogue was so bad the actors seemed to phone it in. this is good news in my book.
myclawismypenis

Well, considering how much is going to be on his shoulders for this first movie…….well see. As long as Lightsabers are swinging and no ja ja binks, we should be ok.
http://www.facebook.com/StephenMCroft Steve Croft

There’s no reason he couldn’t do another Trek? It’d be franchise suicide for Trek to kick him to the curb…
http://www.facebook.com/StephenMCroft Steve Croft

Super 8 at its worst was mediocre, at its best, was great. Wasn’t a bad movie, it did manage to recapture that classic Spielberg film feeling well at least. Just a pity the monster design was a complete bollocked up mess.
http://www.facebook.com/bryanfontez Bryan Føntez

BOOM! LENS FLARE! PEW PEW! KABOOM! LENS FLARE! THE END… I love it! Sounds like a classic already.

… No but seriously this is a fuckin amazing choice I can’t wait. Abrams will give this franchise the modern, quick-paced, well scripted, youthful feel that it needs. Being as huge a fan as he is, he’s going to do the best he can to do Star Wars justice.

Hell yes.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Peter-James/100002603705062 Peter James

MEGA – FAIL!!!!!!

GIGA – FAIL!!!!

UBER-MEGA-FAIL!!!!!!

This is for all you fanboys who were glad that Lucas was finally out of the franchise.
I bet you didn’t think it could get worse.

Prepare for – “Star Wars VII : Lensflares strike back”
LordVolta

Could of swore there was a shit ton of lens flare in episodes 1-3. I guess people have selected memory in here
http://www.facebook.com/kaare.dyrness Kaare Dyrness

After Iron Man 2 and Cowboys and Aliens, I lost faith in Favreau. I’m much happier with this choice!
http://twitter.com/Syratogo Syratogo

which went brilliantly?
ergu

The simple solution: Starwars Trek!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away… SPACE. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the MIllenium Falcon.
http://twitter.com/elmayimbe elmayimbe

Thanks for the conments guys. Y’all make good points.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Carlitos-Becerra/818105493 Carlitos Becerra

Yeah it did. I’m not complaining its just that this reminded me of that time.
qweewr

Lols at the nerds with their corny lens flare jokes. i really dont care who does it as long as he is a good director.
Worker11811

Anyone championing Favreau for SW doesn’t have a clue. He had a franchise and lost it. So why would LucasFilm and Disney hire a reject to direct the most influential Sci-Fi movie series of all time?