Re: Star Wars: Episode VII (12/18/15) Discussion Thread
https://badassdigest.com/2014/06/20/rian-johnson-goes-to-the-dark-side-with-star-wars-episode-viii/
Holy ****.
Rian Johnson, director of Brick, The Brothers Bloom and Looper, has been courted for many blockbuster franchises. Maybe some day he'll reveal all the tentpole movies he considered and ultimately passed on. Rian's a smart filmmaker, and he while he loves the big movies he also knows that if he's going to jump into that world it has to be on the right terms.
I guess he found the right terms with Star Wars Episode VIII, because it is being written and directed by him. And then he's going to be writing the treatment for Episode IX, basically making him the guide for the rest of the trilogy. What JJ Abrams' role will be is unclear, although my sources have indicated he wants to be George Lucas for the next two films - the overlord behind the scenes.
Selfishly I don't want Rian Johnson making Star Wars, because I want Rian Johnson making his own movies. I think he's one of the best voices in the film world, and I think he's just getting started. At the same time how can you begrudge someone taking this kind of a job? Assuming he is not crushed by Disney and Lucasfilm and Bad Robot (and that's a big assumption in modern Hollywood) Johnson is an exciting choice for a franchise that is simply not exciting.
He's exciting for all the reasons Abrams isn't. Johnson's scripts are tight and smart, and his focus on character is precise and surgical. While Abrams has a facility with the blockbuster format and look, I think Johnson's approach to character and story (and wonder) is closer to the world from which Star Wars sprang as opposed to the world that sprang from Star Wars.
I want to complain that so many interesting filmmakers are getting shangaied by Star Wars - Gareth Edwards, Josh Trank and now Johnson - but if they're using them as springboards for other things how can I?
By the way, this is four out of six upcoming Star Wars directors announced. Where are the women? We have two more slots, Disney.
PS, does this mean Badass contributor (and current road tripper) Noah Segan is joining the Star Wars universe? Darth Blue?