Rian Johnson to direct Star Wars Episode VIII and IX

[StraxStrax]

EXCLUSIVE: Rarely have I seen the revival of a film franchise stir so much fervor as Star Wars, among hot young filmmakers who grew up loving George Lucas’ original film trilogy. In a bombshell move, I’m told that Lucasfilm is making a deal with Looper writer-director Rian Johnson to write and direct Star Wars Episodes VIII and IX. Essentially, that means that the intention is for Johnson to take the baton from JJ Abrams, who has gotten the space franchise off the ground and is right now helming Episode VII. I don’t know too much more at this point, but it is in keeping with Disney and Lucasfilm’s strategy of entrusting the venerable franchise to the best and brightest writers and directors, including the spinoff films that are being directed by Chronicle‘s Josh Trank and Godzilla‘s Gareth Edwards.

Johnson will take over the core film franchise, and he’ll get started quickly and this will be his preoccupation for quite awhile. Johnson made his directing debut on the respected indie Brick, and then jumped to mainstream science fiction by writing and directing Looper, an inventive time travel thriller that starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. It would be hard to imagine him taking on a higher profile challenge than two consecutive Star Wars films. I’ll tell you more when I know it. Johnson is repped by CAA.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/star-wars-rian-johnson-director-next-two-movies/

 

[Swiggy]

The GOAT franchise about to conquer the world again, brehs

 

[StraxStrax]

From the visionary that brought us

 

[Diunx]

 

[ECA]

Brick
Looper
"The Fly"
"Ozymandias"

 

[Monoblock]

Oh my damn this is going to be epic. This man directed the greatest TV episode of all time

Spoiler

"Ozymandias"

 

[Won Won]

Apparently he's directing Epiode VIII and only writing the script for Episode IX

 

[MartyMcFly]

 

[MartyMcFly]

The rest of the trades are reporting he's only writing the treatment for IX

 

[FlyRy]

i fukking loved looper

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

thank you based disney

 

[MartyMcFly]

It's funny going through this thread and reading reactions around the net on news sites and how if the movies come out bad (I don't presume they will) the backlash will be fierce and the same sites saying how smart of a move this was and how great he is will be shytting on his name and then retroactively dumping on the dope flicks he has done. Looper will become trash and brick will become meh. That is the nature of the Internet.

 

[RJY33]

Didnt expect to hear any announcement about that for a while. Kinda assumed JJ might do them all. Good choice . Loved Looper and his Breaking Bad eps.

 

[Bobhoward]

:Kel:

 

[StraxStrax]

It's funny going through this thread and reading reactions around the net on news sites and how if the movies come out bad (I don't presume they will) the backlash will be fierce and the same sites saying how smart of a move this was and how great he is will be shytting on his name and then retroactively dumping on the dope flicks he has done. Looper will become trash and brick will become meh. That is the nature of the Internet.

imo Looper is in an awkward spot that Moon, Gravity and District 9 are in.
One good rewrite away from being a top 5 scifi movie and remembered for decades.