7 Thoughts on J.J. Abrams and Star Wars: Episode VII
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| The J.J. Abrams-Star Wars connection was foretold as early as 1977 |
1. One thing is for sure now, whether Episode VII is a good Star Wars film or not, it'll be an entertaining movie. We won't have to leave the theater making believe we had fun.
2. A side note: Abrams has already made a Star movie with R2D2 in it.
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| R2D2 in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek |
3. J.J. Abrams isn't all-powerful on this project. Star Wars is Kathleen Kennedy's baby now, and we shouldn't forget that. Everything needs to be viewed through that lens. You can pretty well assume that J.J. Abrams won't have final cut on this film. Abrams knew full well the kind of partnership he was getting into with this deal; he's working under the auspices of Kathleen Kennedy.
4. It's a different writer than J.J. Abrams has ever worked with. It's not Kurtzman and Orci and it's not Abrams, it's Michael Arndt. And FWIW, Arndt was probably working on the screenplay a while before Abrams was ever involved. While Arndt and Abrams will surely collaborate, Arndt works for Kathleen Kennedy, not Abrams.
By the way, these are good things - collaboration and oversight. This was probably George Lucas' greatest sin - becoming so successful that he didn't have to listen to anyone else.
5. Abrams is hugely nostalgic about the original Star Wars trilogy, I mean, big time. Think about it, he was 10, 13, and 16-years-old when the original three Star Wars films were released. He's probably more nostalgic about the Star Wars films than George Lucas is and arguably has more respect for the original trilogy than Lucas does.
6. I don't think Star Wars: Episode VII will be full of lens flares. Abrams knows what film he's making.
7. It's likely that Episode VII will be shot on film. Abrams has never shot a film digitally and I doubt Star Wars will be his first. And, with Abrams' use of IMAX film on Star Trek Into Darkness, it's possible we'll see the same for Episode VII. How cool would that be?
