Directors J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau give their take on Star Wars VII

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

While at an event this past weekend, directors J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau were asked about their take on the STAR WARS: EPISDOE VII announcement, with both responding enthusiastically, but neither exactly begging to jump in the director’s seat. 

Here’s what Abrams had to say:

“Look, Star Wars is one of my favorite movies of all time,” J.J. gushed. He added, “I frankly feel that – I almost feel that, in a weird way, the opportunity for whomever it is to direct that movie, it comes with the burden of being that kind of iconic movie and series. I was never a big Star Trek fan growing up, so for me, working on Star Trek didn’t have any of that, you know, almost fatal sacrilege, and so, I am looking forward more then anyone to the next iterations of Star Wars, but I believe I will be going as a paying moviegoer!”

And here’s Favreau’s thoughts:

“I think both J.J. and I come from a generation of people who formed our whole creative persona around what we experienced as kids from watching those films, and I have had the good fortune of working with George [Lucas] and around George, and whether it is doing a voice on Clone Wars, or being at the Skywalker Ranch mixing Iron Man – so I have been very happy and lucky to just experience the culture that Lucas has created, both in my own life growing up as a kid and professional – whether it was interviewing him at film festivals on stage, he is just a really wonderful, talented gifted guy who has changed the business so much, so I am just giddy, first and foremost as a fan, to see what happens with it. I think there is a lot of question marks of how they are going to do it, and who they are going to do it with, and what the story is going to be about; but to say that I am not excited about it is definitely an understatement. We’ll see.”

What I find interesting about all these big-name directors taking themselves out of the mix to direct a STAR WARS film is that they all seem exceptionally apprehensive.  For decades, fans have tossed director’s names around, speculating on what could have been or what could be if one of their favorites took on the franchise.  Certainly, I’m no stranger to that.  However, it seems that the names many of us have dreamed of seeing attached to a STAR WARS films aren’t anywhere near as enthusiastic about it as we are.  Perhaps the onslaught of hate towards Lucas over the prequels has made the STAR WARS franchise a bit of a career risk for many of the high-profile names we’ve heard mention of in the last few weeks.

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII is slated for release in 2015.