J.J. Abrams Confirmed as Director For ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

Well, this could be the biggest news we’ll get all year, as the director for Star Wars: Episode VII has finally been named. ‘Star Trek’ director and ‘Lost’ creator J.J. Abrams has officially won the gig, reportedly beating out ‘Argo’ director and actor Ben Affleck.

Abrams publicly denied rumors of his involvement when the new installment for the franchise was first announced last year, but it seems we can’t believe everything we read. As late of November, he told HollywoodLife:

“’Star Wars’ is one of my favorite movies of all time… I almost feel that, in a weird way, the opportunity for whomever t is to direct that movie, it comes with the burden of being that kind of iconic movie and series. I was never a big ‘Star Trek’ fan growing up, so for me, working on ‘Star Trek’ didn’t have any of that, you know, almost fatal sacrilege, and so, I am looking forward more than anyone to the next iterations of ‘Star Wars,’ but I believe I will be going as a paying moviegoer!”

But is seems that LucasFilm and producer Kathleen Kennedy really, really wanted the director to come aboard – unsurprising considering the success of the first ‘Star Trek’ movie in 2009 – and it’s unclear in what state this news leaves his place at Paramount, and with the ‘Trek’ franchise in general.

Michael Arndt is writing the script for ‘Episode VII’, which will re-launch the franchise for LucasFilm, which Disney purchased last October, for a potential trilogy.

(Source: Deadline)