last jedi

10 Directors Who Could Pilot Star Wars Episode 9

The Star Wars franchise has lost another director, which is a major blow for its upcoming Episode 9. However, it’s not all bad as there is a plathora of amazing directors that can take Colin Trevorrow’s place. As the bookend film, the yet untitled Star Wars film needs to end on a strong note. In this list we list out top 10 picks on who could use The Force to guide them to making the perfect Star Wars movie.


George Lucas

George Lucas

This is definitely a pipe dream, but wouldn’t it be a bittersweet moment to have Lucas direct the final chapter of this new trilogy to bring the franchise full circle. Despite Lucas’ disapproval of the remakes so far, along with comparing his selling of the rights to Disney as being on par as trading with “white slavers”, the final sequel could be good for Lucas to join as majority of the story direction has been provided for him. Given that there has been huge developments in technology, as well as moving back towards practical special effects Lucas would be the perfect fit for the job, provided someone else writes the script. Lucas being on board will definitely polarise fans who are still left with a bad taste in their mouths after the prequels, but given that Lucas has had time to observe the franchise outside of his own vision could pull something special out of his hat to make it extra special.


Joss Whedon

Whedon

Whedon is no stranger to pressure situations to impress on projects of a huge scale, building the first two phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This included directing both Avengers movies and having creative input in many of the other Marvel projects to build the universe. Whedon is no stranger to space epics, with his experience on Firefly showcasing his ability to blend space travel with human conflict. Another huge positive for Whedon is his ability to write strong female roles. Given that Rey is one of the three central characters in this latest trilogy, Whedon’s expertise would be a strong asset along with his ability to balance a large ensemble cast. He is also no stranger to working under Disney, which is part of the reason he was left exhausted after Avengers: Age of Ultron.


Rian Johnson

Rian Johnson

The likely choice for the job, Johnson already has a Star Wars film under his belt. It would only make sense that the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi finish off the trilogy, given the momentum and understanding of the story being developed in part 2 of the trilogy. While Johnson has the experience, it could also be a large risk if his vision for The Last Jedi is not well received by the public. However, all things appear positive with eager anticipation as The Last Jedi’s release rapidly approaches.


Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan

Nolan is a master director who’s often grounded films blend amazing cinematography and stunning visual and practical effects. Nolan is a visionary and is known for developing strong characters and building epic scale tales. Nolan is no stranger to space epics with Interstellar showcasing the directors ability to use practical effects alongside CGI to effectively. Nolan understand scale, building tension and developing strong character moments to underpin the visual epics of a space opera. The issue with Nolan is that he likes to assume creative control to best fit his vision, which would likely mean a lot of butting heads with Disney execs who have their own vision for the film.


J.J. Abrams

Abrams

I still feel Abrams is the man for the role, doing a solid job of getting The Force Awakens off of the ground and starting the path that the sequels should follow. Many criticized Abrams film for playing it safe and playing on nostalgia too much, which at times it did. However, it was necessary to overcome fans fears of the movie being a flop. Abrams has done really well directing the modern Star Trek movies, giving a sense of wonder and adventure to an otherwise lifeless franchise. Now that Abrams is free of the pressure of releasing the initial Star Wars movie, he could have more freedom to explore other ideas and not play it safe given the positive reception to the new characters and story arcs. There was also minimal lense flare in The Force Awakens as well.


Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith

I’m surprised The Fat Man’s hat hasn’t been thrown into the ringer. He is a nerd and director who understands various fandoms. He has directed many acclaimed, cult classic movies like Clerks and Mallrats, while also dipping his toes in the superhero television world, directing episodes of The Flash and Supergirl. The rapport he develops with the cast and crew, along with his understanding and appreciation for the lore and source material often make these episodes the best of the season. Smith is often vocal about Star Wars films and has a large understanding of the former extended universe, often discussing his love of Star Wars in interviews and podcasts. Smith could develop the film from a fan standpoint, much like I’m sure Patton Oswalt would also love to contribute to writing or having a role in the film. Smith also had a cameo in The Force Awakens as a Stormtrooper.


Guillermo Del Toro

Del Toro

If anyone understands how to tell an epic story on a grand scale with amazing effects its Del Toro. While many movies are often panned critically, he still manages to make visually stimulating films. Blade 2 and Hellboy are the perfect example of the blend of practical effects and CGI, with Pacific Rim showcasing his ability to go all sci-fi and grand scale. Del Toro is proving his worth in Hollywood as a strong director and writer, producing the award winning Trollhunters and also being recommended by Peter Jackson to helm The Hobbit Trilogy, although the latter was turned down. Del Toro may seem out of left field, but could be the creative mind Star Wars needs to look to the future.


Gareth Edwards

Gareth Edwards

Another director who has a Star Wars credit to his name, this time with one that has been released and extremely well received. Rogue One was a strong blend of humor, lore building, practical and visual effects as well as story. Edwards allowed the audience to connect to each character and sympathise with their plight. He nailed the look and tone of the film, showing that a Star Wars film doesn’t need to be a great ray of sunshine. If The Last Jedi gives any indication, the final chapter could be the bleakest yet. Having a director who can do bleak, but also bring that sense of hope through the darkness could easily help overcome the third film curse. Edwards has also proven to have a good understanding of how Disney work, as Rogue One underwent several creative changes.


Patty Jenkins

Patty-Jenkins

I’m just going to say it, Jenkins is the flavor of the month director purely because of Wonder Woman, which was, let’s face it, a good movie, nothing great, just good. Jenkins has a strong understanding of writing a female lead, which could really help Daisy Ridley. Jenkins could make history again as the first female director of Star Wars which would be a great thing. However, I don’t know if I feel confident with her handling a large cast with multiple storylines purely as I’ve not seem much evidence of it in her films. Further, her interactions with Disney have not been overly fantastic, having dropped out of directing Thor: The Dark World over creative differences. I would love to see what she can do with the film and believe that she could make magic, but it could be a far reach, particularly as she has signed on for Wonder Woman 2.


Matt Reeves

Matt Reeves

Reeves has done wonders in recent years, bringing the Planet of the Apes franchise back from obscurity, building an epic tale with stunning visual effects and acting. He knows how to build tension and huge action set pieces, all while telling a fantastic story. Reeves is also versatile as a director, having experience in a variety of genres that could easily fit the Star Wars universe.


That’s all for this list. The Force could easily be with one of these directors but what do you think? Do you agree with out list of directors? Do you have any other directors that could fill the void? Go and comment on our Facebook page and let us know your thoughts.

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