I’m sure that most of you have heard the news by now that J. J. Abrams will be directing the next Star Wars movie. It will be the first of a new trilogy taking place sometime after Return of The Jedi. Abrams has Mission Impossible 3, Star Trek and Super 8 under his belt as a director. As a producer he has given us such television shows as Alias, Lost, Fringe and Person of Interest. He was writer on some of the television shows he produced as well as for the movies Regarding Henry, Forever Young and Armageddon. So, what does all this mean besides the introduction of the lens flare to the Star Wars universe? Mostly good news.
Thanks to the prequel movies, Star Wars has existed in this weird limbo space for most fans. I could sit here and list the problems I have with the prequel films, just as I’m sure most of you can, but they have already happened. There is nothing really that can be done to take the inane plot ideas that Lucas introduced in the prequels back. They are out there in the world now. Anakin was immaculately conceived through a concentration of (groan) midicloreans. Jar Jar Binks is Jar Jar Binks. The eternal love story of Anakin and Amidala is best related through talk of coarse sand. Boba Fett is just an imitation of his dad. I could go on but lest you think I have no love for the prequels at all, I will mention a few things I’m glad Lucas introduced in the films: Darth Maul and dual light sabers, Liam Neeson, Yoda fighting, Count Dooku, General Grievous and the pod races.
Abrams has a giant task ahead of him due to the lackluster reception the prequels received and will have to work to earn good faith in his version of Star Wars. The awesome job he has done reviving the Star Trek series will go far in proving to the fans he has what it takes to return Star Wars to its former glory. It also doesn’t hurt that Michael Arndt, the writer of Toy Story 3, is finishing the script for the new Star Wars movie. Overall, I think the Star Wars universe is in good hands. It was time for George to pass the baton to someone else and I can’t wait to see what new adventures await us in the Star Wars Universe. Thank you George for creating this little thing called Star Wars. Good luck to you J. J. in the coming months. Take care with the property you’ve been handed, but most of all I want you to have fun with it. If Star Wars needs anything now, more than ever, its joy. May the force be with you, always.
Brandon Jimison 