J.J. Abrams Explains Why He's Returning for Star Wars: Episode IX

Image: Disney

We were pretty surprised to learn that J.J. Abrams would be taking back the new Star Wars trilogy he originally started, replacing Colin Trevorrow as the director of the ninth film in the series. But why did Abrams agree to return? He said he wants to “do better” by the characters and their story.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Abrams addressed why he chose to direct the currently untitled Episode IX—a decision that apparently made star Daisy Ridley cry out of happiness. She told the magazine, “Everyone was saying it was going to be Rian [Johnson] and everything, so I was genuinely quite surprised. And was like ‘Oh my God!’ and I started crying immediately with three people in the office.”


Abrams said he previously had “no intention” of returning to the franchise, but he was too tempted by the idea of getting to close out the stories of the characters he started in the first place.


Of course, I’m sure other factors played a part, like Disney’s seemingly endless pursestrings, but it is nice to hear that Abrams recognizes how there’s more he can do with the characters than he did in The Force Awakens. The movie was great, don’t get me wrong, but introductions are always hard. You have to spend time getting to know the characters before you truly understand how they’d act and react. I am excited to see what Abrams does with the characters in Episode IV—especially on the heels of Johnson’s The Last Jedi, because who knows what he’s going to do with them. Rey might be a turtle now.

[Rolling Stone]


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Beth Elderkin
