» Blog Archive Directors Who Shouldn't Direct Star Wars: Episode IX -
Evan Conway Movies, News

star wars episode ixI was one of the percentage who was happy for Colin Trevorrow to leave the untitled Episode IX. Since Lucasfilm announced him being tied to the project, I was cautious to say the least. Jurassic World was by no means a bad movie, but it was a Blockbuster in its purest form. While nostalgia played a huge part in bringing that movie to life, at the end of the day it’s just a fine movie. Trevorrow is not a bad director, however, and I’m not here to bash him, but instead help everyone understand he wasn’t the best choice for a trilogy-closing movie of this magnitude. And there’s a lot of other people out there, too, who are very much like that: good directors that aren’t suitable for a mainline Star Wars film. Perhaps they’d be better off with one of the Anthology films, but when it comes to the Sequel Trilogy? Not a chance.

Neil Blomkamp (District 9) – Blomkamp is actually one of my favorite directors working today, and while his three feature-length films are all in varying degrees of quality, I quite enjoy District 9 and Elysium a considerable amount. Blomkamp has been in-and-out of talks to direct an Alien film, and that’s a match made in heaven right there. Give him a good script and we may very well have an incredible film in that franchise.

For Star Wars, however, Blomkamp is certainly a pick for the Anthology series, but not the Sequel Trilogy. The reasons are few, but they are notable: Blomkamp’s handling of sci-fi is more gritty and believable than how utterly fantastical Star Wars is. While his vision is stunning, the gritty take would bring Star Wars to a more street level than the early scenes of Rogue One, making him a better fit for a Boba Fett movie than to close out a trilogy. Coupling that aesthetic with the social messages that Blomkamp frequently makes in his films, you’d realize he’s better off starting fresh and doing his own thing with Star Wars.

ava duvernayAva DuVernay (Selma) – DuVernay came into the public spotlight with Selma a few years back, and for a good reason: her direction is tastefully artistic, but impactful to the body of work she’s creating. Artistic without putting an emphasis on it, DuVernay is already in Disney’s pocket with A Wrinkle In Time due next spring, and it’s looking like an intense visual masterpiece all around.

So what makes DuVernay the wrong choice for Episode IX? Quite simply, as it currently stands, she is unproven with science fiction. With production starting in January of 2018, Disney would need to know if her adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time is going to propel her to be worthy enough of helming Episode IX. Preferably, it would be nice if she had more of an extensive background in sci-fi than dramas, but also knowing how she likes to have creative freedom might not bode well for her on a film with a story  already in mind.

Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit Trilogies) – Love him or hate him for his work on Tolkien’s material, Peter Jackson is a household name for anyone who loves film. His sense of scale, wonder, and well-directed action scenes would make for some incredible sequences. Better yet, Jackson knows how to bring the emotions out of his actors, and if they’re already pre-established and developed through The Last Jedi, then he’ll have no problem closing the trilogy up.

While Jackson has gone on record praising George Lucas, his passion for Star Wars may not be enough and, like Blomkamp, would probably work better as a director for an Anthology film instead. The reason being is that Jackson works best when he can develop his story from start to finish. Better yet, Jackson is better off without studios shackling him to their format, thus making the Anthology style of storytelling better suited for his aesthetic. Nevertheless, if Lucasfilm were to give him free reign, it’s an idea fanboys could only dream about.

james gunnJames Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) – The past few years have been an exciting time to be James Gunn, with two Guardians of the Galaxy movies being praised by fans everywhere and a third on the way. Gunn has a great taste for the superhero and sci-fi genre, it seems, and if Vol. 2 is any consolation as to his handling of the cosmic  aspects of the Marvel universe, then he’s undoubtedly in his comfort zone with the Guardians.

Gunn, however, has one glaring flaw in his directing and writing style, and it’s that he’s far too humorous for his own good sometimes. While his work is hilarious, one complaint about Vol. 2  was that the humor came in at times when it shouldn’t have. The mainline Star Wars trilogy may have humorous bits in it, but with so much at stake and dark secrets just waiting to be unveiled, his sense of humor may not have a place in Episode IX, much less be appropriate for it. Gunn is perfectly at home with his Guardians, and quite honestly he should stay with them as long as he possibly can.

Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond, Fast & Furious series) – Star Wars  already took one of Star Trek’s directors, why should it have two? JJ Abrams was always more of a Star Wars fan, so it made sense, but Justin Lin did a fine job on Star Trek Beyond. The film had a perfectly serviceable script and had enough visual flair to keep it interesting to look at, so he’s absolutely not an unproven case. Especially with four films in the Fast & Furious series under his belt, he’s capable of handling action sequences, especially in space regarding how Beyond played out.

justin linHowever, Lin’s handling of Beyond often reminded me of a more serious James Gunn, with the exception of Lin knowing when to dial back the humor. Lin may have worked with high stakes and a large threat looming over its major characters, but his entire sense of style and aesthetic would have made for a perfect fit for that Han Solo movie coming out. Lin seems capable of handling a Boba Fett film or, better yet, a Seven Samurai-style movie with Fett and six other bounty hunters involved. He’s great with ensembles, and a stand-alone Star Wars film would allow him to work with his strengths as opposed to a set story being dictated to him.

Episode IX is due out in May of 2019 with filming scheduled to begin in January. The Last Jedi will be released on December 15 of this year and is directed by Rian Johnson.

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