My simple reaction to the semi-confirmed Star Wars rumor that JJ Abrams is directing the new movie? I got nothing! I didn’t like his concept take on Star Trek, but my dislike could be pointed at the writers. Considering the direction they took with Star Trek with the reboot, I don’t see a way you could have modernized it by not messing with the timeline in a typical Star Trek technobabble explanation. The issue I’ve always had with Abrams has been with TV, where he will develop a series and will be with the series for a season or two, then leaves to work on a new project. That leaves show runners to try and clean up the storylines. Not so easy to do with movies.

The key to the new movies will be if the creative team involved will be pure fans, movie business people, or creative filmmakers. To understand what I mean, try to get hold of a 60 Minutes interview with Lucas during production on The Phantom Menace. You could tell many of the head people were Star Wars fans. They were happy to play in the Star Wars sandbox with George Lucas. They were so happy to work with Lucas on Star Wars they were unwilling to say no. I remember a scene where Lucas wanted to change a minor shot (a droid was shot right to left and he wanted it to go left to right) and he was told it would cost 20,000 to redo the effect. He didn’t care and the person said OK to changing the shot. In the final film (yes I looked for it) it stayed right to left. Lucas might have been playing to the 60 Minutes cameras, but there were little moments like that throughout the piece. Lucas would say something on a whim and people were just ‘yes’ people because it was Lucas. Those are pure fan types and they might do a pretty safe, follow the numbers Star Wars film, with junk like a having an old Luke or Han in the picture just because they can.

The movie business people, as sad as it may sound, would give us more of the prequel style stuff. We could have a Twilight feel for the film. Sure old fans might cry but business wise, looking at the box office for Hunger Games and Twilight, going that route would mean more toys and other back end products. As bad as some fans might consider the prequels as being, there are younger fans who LOVE the prequels and buy all the cheap looking toys and other items. With Abrams, I don’t think that will happen, but Disney paid 4 BILLION for this and they’re going to want their money back. With the rumors floating about a TV show and theme park tie ins, the business part of show business might milk the Star Wars cow to death. Another hope that this won’t come under the gun of the business types is looking at Star Trek and Mission Impossible. We have a similar situation with a franchise that can mint money but is a bit bruised. Abrams may be given free reins to really jump start the franchise, just like he did with Trek and MI.

That’s the third option and the best example of creative filmmakers would be The Clone Wars. Those guys were given a bruised product (remember the animated movie that started the series?) and spun gold. It took time, but they have been able to create new stories, invent new characters and introduced old favorites that have made old and new fans happy. This would be the happy medium, but can Abrams be the man to run with the franchise, put his stamp on the project, make it exciting and, the most important thing, stay with the project for three films? Not enough is known about the deal to say if he’s on for three films or one.

I still have to wait and see before I can be disappointed or happy with the director pick.

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A Cautious Reaction to new Star Wars Director - January 24, 2013
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