{"id":26144,"date":"2013-01-26T09:39:24","date_gmt":"2013-01-26T14:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.filmbuffonline.com\/FBOLNewsreel\/wordpress\/?p=26144"},"modified":"2013-01-26T09:39:24","modified_gmt":"2013-01-26T14:39:24","slug":"disney-officially-confirms-abrams-directing-star-wars-episode-vii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filmbuffonline.com\/FBOLNewsreel\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/26\/disney-officially-confirms-abrams-directing-star-wars-episode-vii\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney Officially Confirms Abrams Directing STAR WARS: EPISODE VII"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Lucasfilm and Disney have decided to officially confirm what we all knew anyway – the J. J. Abrams will be directing Star Wars: Episode VII<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The complete press release the company issued last evening is below, but I would like to point one thing that jumps out to me.<\/p>\n

First off, it is noted that screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are consulting on the project. We already know<\/a> that they are in the process of writing Star Wars<\/strong> scripts that will not be part of this new trilogy but will be spin-off stand alone features. Are Kasdan, Kinberg and Episode VII screenwriter Michael Arndt working as part of some sort of creative committee that will be steering the franchise’s future or are they consulting because their own spin-off films have some direct relation to the upcoming new trilogy?<\/p>\n

Star Wars: Episode VII<\/strong> is due in theaters in 2015. Given Abrams’ penchant for secrecy it should be interesting to see how much more we learn about the project between now and then.<\/p>\n

J.J. Abrams to Direct Star Wars: Episode VII<\/strong><\/p>\n

J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII<\/strong>, the first of a new series of Star Wars<\/strong> films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars<\/strong> movie,\u201d said Kennedy. \u201cJ.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<\/strong> experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

George Lucas went on to say \u201cI\u2019ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He\u2019s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars<\/strong> film and the legacy couldn\u2019t be in better hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars<\/strong> saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,\u201d J.J. Abrams said. \u201cI may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney | Lucasfilm banner.<\/p>\n

Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back<\/strong>, Raiders of the Lost Ark<\/strong> and Return of the Jedi<\/strong>. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes<\/strong> and Mr. and Mrs. Smith<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek<\/strong>, Super 8<\/strong>, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol<\/strong>, and this year\u2019s Star Trek Into Darkness<\/strong>. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm\u2019s preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III<\/strong>. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity<\/em>, Alias<\/em>, Lost<\/em> and Fringe<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Disney tells us something we already knew.<\/div>\n

[click for more]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[84],"tags":[826,5830],"series":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-26144","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-news","7":"tag-jj-abrams","8":"tag-star-wars-episode-vii"},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t