Possible Star Wars director Colin Trevorrow talks his place in the future path of the franchise

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

In the midst of all the known names being bandied about for the gig of directing STAR WARS: EPISODE VII (and beyond, presumably), one intriguing name that has appeared is that of Colin Trevorrow (SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED). Now while Lucas was a fan of his first feature-length film, it’s possible that Disney/Lucasfilm may also be a bit wary of handing control over to the next main entry in such a popular franchise to someone with little-to-no big budget experience (a la Universal with Carl Erik Rinsch and 47 RONIN), so it’s awfully difficult to really make any sort of judgement as to his chances without actually being in the room.  So unless Lucas or Kathleen Kennedy are reading this…

That all being said, Trevorrow was recently sighted and interviewed at the Stockholm International Film Festival about his thoughts on Star Wars, history with the franchise, and potential place in its future path.  From these answers alone he sounds like a sensible enough guy who well acknowledges the pressure he’d be under and the meaning Star Wars holds for its millions of fans, so I’m slowly starting to be of the mind that if he doesn’t get the EPISODE VII gig he should at least be involved in some other Star Wars directing capacity down the intergalactic road. But what about you?

1) Obviously, you are not in Hollywood preparing some big movie franchise. I have to ask: Are you directing one of the new “Star Wars” movies? It is not something that I can comment too much on. But I can definitely say, I am as much of a fan of Star Wars as everyone else for whom Star Wars was the most important thing in their life, when they were a kid. I’m deeply aware of how profoundly important it is, to billions of people. It really is a mythology and possibly even a belief system for a lot of people. I certainly can’t comment on what my involvement may ever be, I can definitely say that I would absolutely love to direct a “Star Wars” film at some point in my life. That would be incredible, I’m not daunted by it. Even if I understand that any thinking director who cares about it as I do, as much as a lot of directors do, would be afraid of screwing it up. But I also think that it’s a risk that a lot of directors would be willing to take, because they care about it so much.

2) You were just a newborn when A NEW HOPE was released. But do you remember watching the Star Wars movies for the first time? Yeah, the first one I saw in the theatre was EMPIRE. That was before home video, so movies would stay in the theatre for a long time. It was well after it came out. My key memory is that my mom, who took me, got furious with the owner for showing a trailer for “American Werewolf in London”, which horrified me and all the other kids… But my first real, indelible Star Wars memory was when I was six, and my dad took me to the local premiere – I lived in Berkeley, California – and they showed RETURN OF THE JEDI on a Thursday night before it came out, and it was 50 dollars per person. We didn’t have a lot of money and him spending a 100 bucks in 1983 was a big move. And they had a costume contest before it, and I went as a Jawa. I spoke the language and everything, and it was a pretty authentic Jawa. I won the costume contest and we won a 100 bucks (laughs). I’m sure my dad knew it was important to me, but then again I’m not really sure if he knew. I don’t know if people his age can understand how that is going to stay with you for the rest of your life.

3) If you made a Star Wars movie, would you still have it grounded in reality as SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED? That is a very specific example of something that needs to feel consistent with the movies that came before it. That’s a sequel to RETURN OF THE JEDI, that’s a very specific world and a specific style of filmmaking and a presentation. I think that whoever does that movie, to depart too far, at least for these particular films… You know, they’re gonna be making Star Wars films for the rest of our lives. Disney saw what Marvel has done, to be able to take an universe that seemed unlimited and really prove that it’s unlimited… I think there is a difference between what we’re gonna see in the next three movies, that have an enormous responsibility and are iconic and are completing a story that has existed in the pop culture fabric for decades… But after that, they are gonna be some really cool and exciting Star Wars universe movies. You’re gonna see really bold, exciting directors, they’ll do a crazy, underworld Star Wars movie and all kinds of stuff. And I’m excited to watch all those movies.

4) So you are saying that this new trilogy is only a beginning for something even bigger? Oh, I think that’s just an undeniable fact. This trilogy is a beginning of a universe that my son, who is four now, will be allowed to explore in the cinema for his whole childhood. Thats what’s exciting for me, that I get to take my kid to see a Star Wars movie, regardless of who’s involved, he’s gonna get to see it in 2015 when he is six years old. That is a sentimental and awesome fact for me.

The real question is – who’s going to be our new Star Wars hottie?