By Taylor Rexrode
Staff Writer
The new “Star Wars” director J.J. Abrams is.
Disney and Lucasfilm announced Saturday that J. J. Abrams will direct the new “Star Wars Episode VII”. Abrams is best known for his involvement in television shows, including “Lost” and “Felicity,” both of which he co-created. He has also directed films such as “Super 8,” “Star Trek” and “Mission Impossible III.”
Chris Hansen, associate professor and director of film and digital media, said he is excited about Abrams taking on the next chapter of the “Star Wars” saga.
“He knows how to do a big film well,” Hansen said. “They have a great screenwriter and a great director to develop a great story. That bodes well.”
Michael Arndt was announced last November as the screenwriter for “Episode VII.” Arndt won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2006 for his original script “Little Miss Sunshine” and has written the script for the upcoming “Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”
“I think that what excites me, is the collaboration,” Hansen said. “Abrams knows how to work with multiple storylines and Michael Arndt is, to my understanding, supposed to develop a storyline for a new trilogy. They are developing a larger story.”
The Woodlands junior Josh Foster said he remembers watching the “Star Wars” films at his grandparents’ house years ago and feeling the excitement of the sci-fi classic.
“I definitely like the epic feeling,” Foster said. “It’s interesting that everything is on a galactic scale. It’s all about the little kid desire to fight with swords and beat the bad guy.”
With a definite sequel on the horizon, Foster hopes Abrams can live up to the expectation of recreating intergalactic magic.
“Like any other person doing a film, there is good and bad,” Foster said. “Assuming he brings the same method he did with ‘Star Trek,’ I think it will go well. It will be nice to have a new story to continue everything.”
Cypress junior Caitlin Nowak started watching the movies during high school.
She said she looks forward to seeing what Abrams brings to the table.
“I think it’s a good choice,” Nowak said. “He’s known for being a little bit daring. He’s not afraid to play with special effects and ‘Star Wars’ needs that out-there thinking.”
Walt Disney Co. purchased Lucasfilm in December for $2.21 billion. Hansen sees Disney’s spin on “Star Wars” as a way to boost the morale of fans who saw a slump with Episode I, II and III.
“I saw the three films out of obligation, but they were a disappointment,” Hansen said. “To hear that he sold Lucasfilm and that other people would be making ‘Star Wars’ films, it re-energized me as a fan.”
Nowak agrees that Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm will help the “Star Wars” fandom.
“If fans realize that the same company that makes ‘Captain America’ and ‘The Avengers’ is making ‘Star Wars,’ maybe they will feel better about it,” Nowak said. “Some will be excited for the side stories that will come out and some won’t like it.”
According to the International Movie Database, Jedi fans will have to wait until 2015 to see what Abrams and Arndt do.
Until then, it is unlikely Abrams will let any secrets out.
“He’s trying to maintain an element of surprise with the new ‘Star Trek’ and it should be the same with ‘Star Wars’,” Hansen said. “I’m excited about the prospect of Abrams directing the film.”
