I haven't heard anything yet about a new director but I knew this was coming (and may have posted or may have forgot).

I'm stoked. He sucked ass.

That disturbance in the Force you just felt? Another Star Wars director leaving the galaxy far, far away.

Lucasfilm and Disney announced Tuesday that Colin Trevorrow has left the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX film, the big-budget close of the trilogy that started with 2015's The Force Awakens and the upcoming The Last Jedi. It's also the latest high-profile exit from the franchise: In June, Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired from the young Han Solo movie mere weeks from a wrap on filming.

"Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process, but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ," Lucasfilm's statement said. "We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon."

I guess the odds were pretty good

http://ew.com/movies/2017/09/05/dire...rs-episode-ix/

Episode IX needs a new director.

Lucasfilm has announced that Jurassic World filmmaker Colin Trevorrow is leaving the project.

Here’s their statement:

“Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars: Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.”

Playwright Jack Thorne, best known for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was recently hired to do a comprehensive rewrite of the Episode IX script by Trevorrow and his Safety Not Guaranteed co-screenwriter Derek Connolly. While the nature of the disagreement with Lucasfilm isn’t clear, there have been rumblings of discontent for several months. During that time, Trevorrow also suffered withering reviews for his passion project, The Book of Henry, which was a critical and commercial calamity.

Although Lucasfilm’s new movies have found immense success at the box office and with audiences and critics, the process of working with directors on the new saga and spin-offs has occasionally been fraught. Chronicle filmmaker Josh Trank was set to direct an unspecified stand-alone movie (believed to be a Boba Fett project) before parting ways amid chaos on the recent Fantastic Four movie. And The Lego Movie directors Phil Miller and Chris Lord were removed from the young Han Solo film and replaced with veteran Ron Howard amid disputes over the state of that project. While there were reshoots on the spin-off Rogue One, director Gareth Edwards remained on the project through completion.

Rian Johnson has had no such turmoil during the making of The Last Jedi, which hits theaters in December. And J.J. Abrams had a similarly smooth process reigniting the franchise with 2015’s The Force Awakens. Depending on the turnaround necessary for a filmmaker to begin the 2019 Episode IX, either Johnson or Abrams, who has no pending directorial commitments, seem like possible fan favorites to bring the trilogy to a close.

Right now, the search is on.

Odds that Rian or even JJ return?

Get ready for Jordan Peele...

...he'll drop out six months later but you know it's coming...

All aboard the Rian train.

Both of their schedules are clear, so it's a possibility.

Brad Bird is on Incredibles 2 but Andrew Stanton is clear.

I would think that Gareth Edwards or Tony Gilroy would be options as well.

Rogue One is undeniably bad ass.

I didn't care for the script but his direction was impeccable, even though he had a ton of outside input (Spielberg, Ava Duvernay and others).

Would like to see Brad Bird if hes up to it?

Tomorrowland was a miss, but hes got loads of talent.

There's no way due to his commitment to The Incredibles 2.

Tomorrowland was too high concept for Disney summertime fare. Didn't help that nobody knew what the hell it was about.

Give it to Rian.

Keep JJ far, far away, please.

Can you PM me some of those inside deets you seem to have?

****

https://milnersblog.files.wordpress....readnought.jpg

Like a a "Super Secret PM List"?

LMAO

Look man, you're my Bro and all but in all honesty, I post as much information as I can in the forum without pointing back to the source, whether it's at the Mouse House, Lucasfilm, WB, etc.

I have friends in all aspect of the business, from guys on set to superstar trainers to trailer editors and composers, to execs, etc. I can't compromise their integrity by providing more info than I've provided and in the last month, it's been quite a lot (Justice League, TJ Miller, Star Wars, etc.).

I'm not asking you to compromise yourself or your sources - I guess what I'm looking for is where us regular joes could go online to see some "detailed speculation" about Episode 8.

I liked about 85% of it. Up until the last 20 minutes or so

Well, I guess here but I generally don't post speculation unless I specifically say it's speculation.

All my info comes from directly from my sources, unless otherwise specificed.

Fair enough - I'm in your boat with this upcoming ep and with the latest seasons of Game of Thrones. It's much more enjoyable for me now to have an idea of what's coming, therefore I don't overdo my expectations and walk away feeling inevitably disappointed.

Hearing the words "Starkiller base" was such a disappointing gut punch when I sat in the theater in 2015.

I like to call this piece of work "The First Order Goes to the Ileenium System".

Wait, what?

Which part?

I was referring JJ Abrams.

Ah.

Gotcha. I thought you had maybe read TLJ script and/or seen a cut.

Sorry man, I misquoted him. I meant to quote you, in regards to Rian and JJ.

No, I haven't read the TLJ script but even if I have, I wouldn't say that I read it.

:D

Looks a little more sinister when he's not a hologram.

:)

The only thing that bums me out about Episode VIII is that they're not going to explore Snoke's past or identity. Rian Johnson has basically said he's like The Emperor in the OT and that the Prequels explained his origins.

I don't know if that means they'll have another trilogy between ROTJ and TFA, although I doubt it. Maybe some standalone stories but I think it's kind of a cop out not to tell us where he came from and how he rose to power.

It would only take a few sentences of dialog.

I think his story was already told in Aftermath. I think he's Gallius Rax.

In the scene in VII where Hux and Kylo are speaking to Snoke, there comes a part where Snoke becomes angry at Hux and yells at him. Almost immediately he reigns his anger in and tells him to oversee preparations to fire the weapon. At the end of the books, a very young Hux and his father leave with Rax to go in search of Palpatine's ship the Eclipse in the Unknown Regions. They find it, and all the secrets it holds after Palpatine sent it in search of the source of the dark side (plus, the Unknown Regions are really the only place a ship the size of the Supremacy could be built undetected, imo). When Snoke speaks to Hux after losing his temper, it's almost in a fatherly type of tone, like he's been an authority figure over him for some time (floating around in the Unkown Regions rebuilding the war machine destroyed by the Rebel Alliance).

Just my opinion, and I'm sure Clay will blow it up, lol.

Apparently, he died on Jakku. Also, he's listed as "Human" but Snoke has been described an "humanoid - not quite human".

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gallius_Rax

You know, I knew that. I got all swept up in thinking I had solved Snoke. :facepalm:

I'll have to go see who traveled out to the Unknown Regions with young Hux again.

Just read the epilogue to Empire's Endagain. No real clues there. Grand Admiral Rae Sloane made the months long journey through the Unknown Regions to find the Eclipse, and the only people she traveled with were General Brendol Hux, his son Armitage (who we know as General Hux now), and a bunch of wild young people Hux is training. No mention of who or what they find on the ship.

And I was certain it was in there, too. Oh well.

Enhanced version


http://cdn2.darkhorizons.com/wp-cont...di-696x464.jpg

I think it's pretty obvious Snoke is what they found in the Unknown region.

I haven't read the last two books of Aftermath btw. I'm too busy dating and not ****ing.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations, you&#39;re the new &quot;Star Wars&quot; director! <a href="https://t.co/HHj8NBEUqH">pic.twitter.com/HHj8NBEUqH</a></p>&mdash; Darren Franich (@DarrenFranich) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenFranich/status/905195657346015232">September 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Goddamn SJWS are trying to piss in my Star Wars cheerios.

https://i.redd.it/f7uir3bjwakz.png

LMAO Awesome

:facepalm:

And apologies for the spoilers. Of all the people here, I really assumed you had read the series.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/m...n-johnson.html

The Fate of ‘The Last Jedi’ Is in His Hands

NICASIO, Calif. — Skywalker Ranch, the 5,000-acre spread that George Lucas established here in Marin County, is hardly a shrine to the “Star Wars” movies; the quiet campus has no giant Yoda statue or Death Star murals. If you weren’t looking carefully, you might have missed Rian Johnson, the director and writer of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (due Dec. 15), having breakfast in a guesthouse on a recent August morning. Mr. Johnson has established his genre bona fides as the writer-director of the time-traveling neo-noir “Looper,” and as a director of TV shows like “Breaking Bad.” Now, he is picking up the baton from J. J. Abrams, who reinvigorated the “Star Wars” universe with “The Force Awakens.” That wildly successful 2015 film — the seventh chapter of the galactic saga — began a new adventure for Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess (now General) Leia (Carrie Fisher) and introduced the enigmatic Rey (Daisy Ridley) and her sullen nemesis, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

“Star Wars” is a gargantuan franchise, and Mr. Johnson, 43, is a soft-spoken, unassuming man. But right now its destiny lies in his hands, and he said he was free to make the movie he wanted. No requirements were imposed by Mr. Abrams or Kathleen Kennedy, the Lucasfilm president, who did not hesitate to call for significant changes on the stand-alone “Rogue One,” the coming Han Solo film and “Star Wars: Episode IX.” On a break from finishing the sound edit for the movie, Mr. Johnson spoke about the making of “The Last Jedi,” “Star Wars” characters new and old, and Ms. Fisher’s death in December. Here are edited excerpts from that conversation.

How important were the original “Star Wars” films for you?

“Star Wars” was everything for me. As a little kid, you get to see the movies only once or twice, but playing with the toys in your backyard, that’s where you’re first telling stories in your head. It was so emotional to step onto the Millennium Falcon set, because that was the play set we all had when we were kids. Suddenly, you were standing in the real thing. There’s this rush of unreality about it.

How did you learn you were being considered to write and direct a new “Star Wars” film?

It was really, really out of the blue. I had a few general meetings with Kathy Kennedy when she took over Lucasfilm. I never thought I was actually in the running, because I assumed every director on the planet would want to be doing a “Star Wars” movie. And then it was sprung on me. It was like a bomb dropped. I suddenly realized, Oh, this meeting is about this. I didn’t try to hide the fact that I was freaking out. But I also said, “Can I think about it?”

Why the hesitation?

After “Looper,” I had been approached with other franchise stuff and gotten used to saying no. And I knew this would mean so much to me — the worst thing I can imagine is having a bad experience making a “Star Wars” movie.

Do you think Ms. Kennedy was surprised you didn’t accept immediately?

She was slightly confused, I think. The next few days, I couldn’t sleep. I thought I was going to do a pros-and-cons list, but the truth is, it was more a decision from the heart. There was no way I could not do this.

How much of the story of “The Last Jedi” was dictated to you, either by events in “The Force Awakens” or by Lucasfilm?

I had figured there would be a big map on the wall with the whole story laid out, and it was not that at all. I was basically given the script for “Episode VII;” I got to watch dailies of what J. J. was doing. And it was like, where do we go from here? That was awesome.

So there’s no one telling you that your film has to contain certain plot points, or that certain things have to be achieved by its end?

Nothing like that. But it’s the second film in a trilogy. The first film got these characters here. This second movie has to dig into and challenge these characters. I wanted this to be a satisfying experience unto itself. I didn’t want it to end with a dot, dot, dot, question mark.

What inspiration did you draw from the raw footage of “The Force Awakens”?

Rey and Kylo are almost two halves of our protagonist. It’s not like Kylo is our Vader. In the original trilogy, Vader is the father — he’s the one you’re afraid of and who you want the approval of. Whereas Kylo represents anger and rebellion, the sometimes healthy — and sometimes not — desire to disconnect from the parents. It’s my favorite kind of quote-unquote bad guy, because you can genuinely see what their weakness is.

“The Force Awakens” left you with many significant unanswered questions: Who are Rey’s parents? Why did Luke flee? Who is the mysterious villain, Supreme Leader Snoke? To the extent that “The Last Jedi” answers any of them, did you feel obliged to consult with J. J.?

If I had questions — what did you think this was going to be? What were your ideas for this? — I could always ask him. But those questions only address what these characters want and how they get there.

Take the question of who Rey’s parents are: If you get the information — oh, it’s that! — who really cares? I know a lot of people care, but it’s interesting as opposed to impactful. Now, what is my place in the world? Where do I come from? Where do I belong? O.K., I understand what the weight of that is. We could play with those questions and their answers to have the biggest emotional impact on these characters.

You get to give Luke Skywalker his first lines of dialogue in this trilogy.

That was the first thing I had to figure out. Why is Luke on that island? And I didn’t have any answers. But it’s not like you can just pick anything you want out of the air. I grew up having a sense of who Luke Skywalker is. It guides you to a very specific path. I know he’s not hiding on the island. I know he’s not a coward. He must be there for a reason that he believes in. You’re finding a path forward, but there end up being fewer choices than you think.

Since you grew up a “Star Wars” fan, were you intimidated to work with longtime franchise stars like Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher?

It took a while before I could sit across the table with Mark and not, every three seconds, think, I’m talking to Luke Skywalker. With Carrie, I felt we connected as writers very quickly. She spoke her mind, man. They both did. Anyone whose life is that weirdly tied to a character like this, where you drop a script in their lap and say, “Now it’s this,” there’s no way it’s not a discussion. But they were both so engaged in the process, and trusting. The fact that both of them at some point said, “O.K., even if this isn’t what I was expecting, I’m going to trust you” — that was really touching.

Ms. Fisher died shortly after she finished filming. How did you absorb this tragedy? Did you feel as if you had to alter the movie?

When she passed away, we were pretty deep into postproduction. When we came back to the edit room after New Year’s, it was so hard. We went through all her scenes. I felt very strongly that we don’t try to change her performance. We don’t adjust what happens to her in this movie. Emotionally, you can’t help recontextualize it, now that she’s gone. It’s almost eerie how there are scenes that have an emotional resonance and a meaning, especially now. She gives a beautiful and complete performance in this film.

What is your working relationship with Colin Trevorrow? [Editor’s note: This interview took place before Lucasfilm parted ways with Mr. Trevorrow, who was to have directed “Star Wars: Episode IX.”]

It’s been very similar to J. J. and I. I’ve given it some trajectory forward, and now I get to see where another storyteller is going to take it. I’ve been available, and he’s shot me questions. But I’m pretty much sitting back and seeing how it’s all going to come together for him.

What does “The Last Jedi” mean?

It’s in the opening crawl of “The Force Awakens.” Luke Skywalker, right now, is the last Jedi. There’s always wiggle room in these movies — everything is from a certain point of view — but coming into our story, he is the actual last of the Jedi. And he’s removed himself and is alone on this island, for reasons unknown.

We hear a voice in the teaser trailer say, “It’s time for the Jedi to end.” Is that Luke speaking?

That’s him. It sounds pretty dire. That’s something that we’re definitely going to dig into. The heart of the movie is Luke and Rey. It follows all the other characters, but its real essence is the development of the two of them. And it’s absolutely tied up in that question of, What is Luke’s attitude toward the Jedi?

And Han Solo returns as a Force ghost?

Han Solo as a Force ghost, obviously. And Jar Jar, he’s Snoke. Everything I’m dropping is gold, right here.

And Han Solo returns as a Force ghost?

Han Solo as a Force ghost, obviously. And Jar Jar, he’s Snoke. Everything I’m dropping is gold, right here.



Haha, perfect.

Interesting take on Treverrow. Makes me think there might be a chance Rian has a shot at IX for some odd reason.....

http://www.vulture.com/2017/09/star-...planation.html

"“During the making of Jurassic World, he focused a great deal of his creative energies on asserting his opinion,” the executive explains. “But because he had been personally hired by Spielberg, nobody could say, ‘You’re fired.’ Once that film went through the roof and he chose to do Henry, [Trevorrow] was unbearable. He had an egotistical point of view— and he was always asserting that.”

Then, during preproduction on Episode IX, Trevorrow’s relationship with Lucasfilm top brass became reportedly “unmanageable” over the course of “repeated stabs at multiple drafts” of the script."

I don't think people have an appreciation for just how much power is foisted on directors -- especially of big-budget franchises. Dealing with grounded directors and actors is a joy. Putting up with certain people who think they can do no wrong can indeed be unbearable.

I bet he's sucking the life force out of Kylo. Which is why he wants Rey, too.

https://scontent.fmkc1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...a3&oe=5A15A10F

It's comparing a Topps trading card with VFX from Episode VII and trying to form a conclusion.

Silly.

Or he's getting daily Bacta tank sessions, ala Vader.

Han's comments to Kylo plants a tiinny seed on that thought, though.

Snoke is Vader. Everyone knows it...

Better than Jar Jar, I suppose (and yes, that was a theory :facepalm: ).

Latest theory I heard was that he was a clone of Luke. ROFL

I'm going to guess that the reason (the trailer makes us think) that Luke doesn't want the Jedi is that with the Jedi come the Sith. Get rid of one and you get rid of the other perhaps?

I heard today that Rian Johnson and/or Ron Howard are the Episode IX front runners.

From my understanding, Ron Howard is absolutely killing it on Han Solo but they're not sure if he'll have time due to Post on HS. If Howard is the guy, then IX will be moved from May to December (which I think they should do, anyway).

I was told that they LOVE what Rian Johnson's done with VIII but that they want to see how the public reacts to VIII before hiring him for IX.

Sounds like Luke is busting out that glowstick

https://vid.me/bGhQd

Major spoilers have hit the web.

Watch your ass.

I'm thinking Brett Ratner should direct it, he's always solid on the third movie in a particular trilogy.

Where?

There's only one site I trust and he hasn't broken anything recently

What site do you trust? :D

Makingstarwars.net

I share the info I get from my peeps but he's leaked info months before it's confirmed.

He's no Mike Zeroh.

Abrams for Ep. IX.

http://www.starwars.com/news/j-j-abr...c%7C1069686789

Solid choice, regardless of how you felt about Episode 7.

Terrible ****ing choice, c'mon.

Episode 9 needs to be ORIGINAL, not a rehash of Jedi, which is what he'd do.

So they've already fired Jack Thorne? That was quick.

Hopefully, Chris Terrio brings a lot to the table and keeps JJ from going all "JJ" on the screenplay.

As a director, I'd agree. He got great performances from a cast of unknowns.

As a story teller? Blech.

http://ew.com/movies/2017/09/12/j-j-...rs-episode-ix/

J.J. Abrams will return to write and direct Star Wars: Episode IX

J.J. Abrams is the Chosen One. The Force Awakens filmmaker will return to write and direct Star Wars: Episode IX, filling the void left last week by the departure of director Colin Trevorrow.

While he partnered with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi scribe Lawrence Kasdan on the first film in the trilogy, this time Abrams will write the script with Argo Oscar-winner Chris Terrio. The news is likely to bring balance to the fans, who viewed the departure of Jurassic World‘s Trevorrow as a sign of upheaval in the beloved series. Rumors circulated throughout Hollywood this summer that Trevorrow would be stepping down, and that Abrams — who handed off the second film in the series, The Last Jedi, to Looper writer-director Rian Johnson, but hasn’t taken on directing duties for another movie since — was eager for another journey into the galaxy. Abrams would be the first filmmaker, besides George Lucas himself, to direct more than one installment of the cinematic franchise.

When Abrams first signed on to direct the then-untiled Episode VII in January 2013, he was given only one piece of direction from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy: She wanted the new series to feature the story of a young woman who learns she has strength and a connection with the Force within an unfathomable cosmic battle. A girl becomes a Jedi, in other words. Kennedy also tantalized him with a question: “Who is Luke Skywalker?”

The possibility of creating a hero for a new generation, while exploring the depths of a character Abrams loved as a boy, was an impossible draw to resist. (Even if, Luke didn’t get to turn up until the end.) Now, Abrams has the unique opportunity to close out the trilogy, although it’s not clear given the new goal of releasing one Star Wars movie a year whether there will ever truly be an end for these characters. Like Abrams, they are likely to keep being pulled back into the quest.

Here’s the statement released Tuesday by Lucasfilm:

J.J. Abrams, who launched a new era of Star Wars with The Force Awakens in 2015, is returning to complete the sequel trilogy as writer and director of Star Wars: Episode IX. Abrams will co-write the film with Chris Terrio. Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Abrams, Bad Robot, and Lucasfilm. “With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

Jesus Christ.

What a disaster.

I sure hope The Resistance can take out the second Starkiller base while Kylo Ren saves Rey from Snoke.

I actually think JJ did a much better job with Star Trek than Star Wars. But I'm probably in the minority here. I found Chris Pine as Captain Kirk & Zach Quinto as Spock was far more interesting than any of the new characters in The Force Awakens.

Like, I enjoyed the shit out of the Force Awakens.

But it was very hardcore proof that Abrams isn't a very original dude.

I doubt going back to that well is going to yield fruit.

I think the final film will come down to the studio's say so more than Abrams creative license. The ending and major plot points have probably already been written and I would think are non-negotiable at this point, if he adds his flare in between, I'm okay with that.

FYP.

I agree, there will be flares, oh yes... there will be flares.

I'll also say that having three different directors was inticing, but I didn't have much faith in Colin Trevarrow from the start regardless of the alleged difficulty of working with him. If we're going to get someone to do spectacle I will take JJ's work over Jurassic World any day, but not the best pick, just solid imo. Ron Howard would've been amazeballs.

Nah. KK will go along with Abrams vision but I'm sure it'll be a collaborative process.

What's crazy is that they tossed Trevorrow's script, hired Jack Thorne on August 1st to write a new story and script and less than two months later, hired Abrams and Terrio.

Terrio's involvement is interesting. He co-wrote BvS, adapted Argo (and won an Oscar) and co-wrote the Justice League.

My gut tells me that Abrams will outline the story and Terrio will write the script.

Howard didn't have time because he'll be working on Han Solo through the Spring of next year. Rian Johnson's schedule didn't line up, either.

When Abrams read Rain Johnson's script for Episode VIII, he immediately regretted not directing the film. Hopefully, Terrio and Abrams build off of Johnson's foundation.

If Kylo and Rey have two different mothers with the same name, I'm gonna cut someone.

LMAO

****

This has all the excitement of Carl hiring Herm as the head coach for me.

I think I would have taken Gareth Edwards over JJ (if he were available), and was really pulling for Rian Johnson to get the gig.

Aaaaaaand Scene

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Star Wars: Episode IX is scheduled for release on December 20, 2019. <a href="https://t.co/rDBqmuHX89">pic.twitter.com/rDBqmuHX89</a></p>&mdash; Star Wars (@starwars) <a href="https://twitter.com/starwars/status/907686475512160256">September 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

KK needs to move Han Solo to December 2018

It concerns me that they're struggling to crack the story here. These problems led to JJ finishing TFA's script without figuring out how to get Luke into the story and sloppily inserting another Death Star (BUT ITS 10 TIMES BIGGER!)