Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[The Edge]

Originally Posted by TheWildWhelk

So basically everyone agrees that it should be Gore Verbinksi then?

no, for me, either steven or nolan.

[AmrlKJaneway]

Brad Bird and Joe Johnson were two I never thought of (I've been voting for Whedon since page thirty-something, I think), but I'm liking the sound of them. Brad Bird and an IMAX camera... 'nuff said!

Nolan sucks at this sort of thing. It's already been said here that if he can't direct a proper superhero movie, then he can't direct a space opera. Love The Dark Knight as much as you want, I do, but does it really feel like a comic book? Really?

Spielberg would be amazing. But will he do it? Time does make fools of us all.

But we all know that Disney will go the "relatively unknown" route. This will be another Avengers film. Folks in the know-how will know who it is and what they've done, but as someone else stated Star Wars of all things doesn't need to sell the director.

[The Edge]

Originally Posted by fgomike

It's ironic that Lucas who considered studios to be as evil as the Empire sells out to the biggest Empire of them all.

I was wondering when someone was going to bring that up.

Personally, I'm sick of all these comments about wanting these 3 films to cover anything in the expanded universe, when it was already stated by Lucas, Iger, and Kennedy that these films would be based on George's treatments. Original stories, people, not.... fan fiction that The Maker considers not canon to his stories.

And, if not Steven or Nolan for the Chair, why not Kathleen? She's done dozens and dozens and dozens of films, big and small over several decades, has seen all the details of making them, but has never directed one herself. However, she could pull from her experiences and possibly do a fine job.

[MCT]

I'm praying for a Spielberg SW movie, personally. With zero interference from Lucas. Just let Steve do what he does. It would be absolutely epic.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by TheWildWhelk

So basically everyone agrees that it should be Gore Verbinksi then?

Good lord in heaven, NO.

I've still got the shakes from Pirates 3, Rango was smugsy physical pain to sit through, and I'm currently the wandering Prophet of Doom about "Lone Ranger". I have given ye the warning...

[Monolithium]

Can you imagine a Kevin Smith Star Wars film?

It would be exciting, well written conversational scenes interrupted by the worst staged and shot action sequences ever. So in other words, the exact opposite of the Prequels.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Monolithium

Can you imagine a Kevin Smith Star Wars film?

Can you imagine a Kevin Smith film without Star Wars?

(Like they say, it's the one never-fail drug test: Only the stoners laugh at Chewbacca jokes.)

[beadelf]

Originally Posted by NoFro

Whilst I think there are many directors who could do something great with Star Wars I agree with others that Spielberg is the only person I can imagine being able to recreate that Star Wars vibe. He may not know the universe as well as some of the directors who grew up playing with Star Wars toys but he can capture the spirit of adventure, wonderment and humour whilst creating some fun action sequences.

We've seen him deliver these things in films like Indy, Jurassic Park and most recently in Tintin which felt like a really old school Spielberg adventure despite it exploiting modern filming techniques.

A lot of directors could do something great but how many could do something fun (whilst not being goofy)?

agreed! all this gore verbinski talk scares me.... people must have watched a different POTC to me!

[Ryan0503]

Originally Posted by beadelf

agreed! all this gore verbinski talk scares me.... people must have watched a different POTC to me!

Agreed ... the 4th POTC was horrible ... (the 3D effect was pretty amazing though) ... definitely not the direction I wanna see Star Wars go

[Ryan0503]

Originally Posted by Beast

Don't expect ANYTHING from the EU to worm it's way directly into the films. That's rarely how Lucas works.

Even Clone Wars for the most part hasn't brought in a bunch of the EU material. In fact, it's happily contradicted it.

Lucas has used a lot of EU elements in his films. Normally just a nod here and there ... but if your talking plot elements then yeah ... I doubt we will see any

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by Ryan0503

Lucas has used a lot of EU elements in his films. Normally just a nod here and there ... but if your talking plot elements then yeah ... I doubt we will see any

too bad, since most of the EU is LEAGUES better than the crap he thought up for the prequels *shudder

[Nicky and Sue]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this..

The second the episode 1-6 3D conversion was announced was a stealthy tip off new movies were coming!

Think about it.. George knew that any future SW movies would be made for 2D and 3D, either by native or conversion at theatrical.

So he made sure 1-6 would also be in 3D optional for years to come. Remaining consistent with new features.

3D haters in this thread will play down the importance of films being in 3D, but since big spectacles are being made for 3D in hollywood now, and not some little phase like people biasly lament (its here to stay); really this was an imminent sign new star wars movies were going to exist.

2 years ago we should have known this. But because 3D is seen as a phase and/or cash cow by most people, there weren't enough people seeing the writing on the wall, to figure it out beforehand.

[Bluyoda]

Originally Posted by leey

John Williams did score Tintin . Hell, I'll never forget those many nights at the movie theatre listening to that ending score over and over ...

If you read that again, I was referring to using ILM as the VFX house, not to John Williams.

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

James Nguyen

A Vietnamese director? What has he done so far?

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

He doesn't have filmmaking skills. He's a writer. Damn good writer, but not a visual storyteller. He makes very entertaining home movies. Nothing wrong with that. Love his work, love his stand-up even more. But he doesn't have the chops for Star Wars. He won't be directing Star Wars anytime soon.

I listed these six two days ago...

Steven Spielberg (obvious first choice, given long friendship with Lucas and familiarity with the SW universe...could be announced sooner rather than later, especially if Robopocalypse goes belly-up like Battleship)

Gore Verbinski (good relationship with Disney, can handle mega-projects, good sense for staging)

Martin Campbell (Very energetic director, good with resurrecting crowd-pleasing franchises - see GoldenEye, Zorro and Casino Royale.)

Brad Bird (long relationship with Spielberg, has Disney ties via internship with Milt Kahl in the 70's and Pixar ties with Lasseter, also a critical darling...could be the spark that lights the fuse)

JJ Abrams (has fingers on the pulse of 70's and 80's cinema and knows how to bring that aesthetic into the 21st century, good working relationships with everybody, made Star Trek a smash hit all over again)

Joe Johnston (fingers tight on the pulse of old-school high adventure, long history with Star Wars. Helps that Rocketeer, Hidalgo, and Captain America are good movies, and feel like the kind of films SW and Indiana Jones emulate)

and now, having said that...

5 DIRECTORS WHO *WON'T* BE WORKING ON STAR WARS VII

M. Night Shamalyan (Disney won't be working with him anytime soon, to put it mildly. He made money for them, but then put on his Diva Hat and grew increasingly problematic to work with. He threw a tantrum when they passed on Lady in the Water, and they severed ties and haven't looked back)

Andrew Stainton (John Carter was a good movie, but Disney can't court bad press and uncertainty by turning Star Wars over to him. Maybe later.)

Quentin Tarantino/David Fincher/Terrence Malick/Darren Aronofsky/Danny Boyle/Guy Ritchie/Michael Mann/Martin Scorsese/Ridley Scott/insert edgy, experimental auteur director here (Star Wars isn't edgy. It's old-school high adventure. Directors should more or less disappear into the SW world, the films shouldn't be about the director)

Kevin Smith (oh, I said that already)

Peter Jackson (he's tied up through 2014 and maybe later than that, ditto James Cameron)

Pretty much agree with you, except I am not so sure about Gore Verbinski.
While I like his movies, I don't think he's got the SW feel in him, and his sense of humor is very different too. At least he is very used to working with ILM.

Martin Campbell- Plesae no! I didn't like any of those films listed.

Originally Posted by JavaJulien

He wasn't planning to do anything more with the films and decided to give majority of the money he sold it for for philanthropies. Not exactly my definition of selling out.

Indeed.

[Bucky]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

He doesn't have filmmaking skills. He's a writer. Damn good writer, but not a visual storyteller. He makes very entertaining home movies. Nothing wrong with that. Love his work, love his stand-up even more. But he doesn't have the chops for Star Wars. He won't be directing Star Wars anytime soon.

I listed these six two days ago...

Steven Spielberg (obvious first choice, given long friendship with Lucas and familiarity with the SW universe...could be announced sooner rather than later, especially if Robopocalypse goes belly-up like Battleship)

Gore Verbinski (good relationship with Disney, can handle mega-projects, good sense for staging)

Martin Campbell (Very energetic director, good with resurrecting crowd-pleasing franchises - see GoldenEye, Zorro and Casino Royale.)

Brad Bird (long relationship with Spielberg, has Disney ties via internship with Milt Kahl in the 70's and Pixar ties with Lasseter, also a critical darling...could be the spark that lights the fuse)

JJ Abrams (has fingers on the pulse of 70's and 80's cinema and knows how to bring that aesthetic into the 21st century, good working relationships with everybody, made Star Trek a smash hit all over again)

Joe Johnston (fingers tight on the pulse of old-school high adventure, long history with Star Wars. Helps that Rocketeer, Hidalgo, and Captain America are good movies, and feel like the kind of films SW and Indiana Jones emulate)

and now, having said that...

5 DIRECTORS WHO *WON'T* BE WORKING ON STAR WARS VII

M. Night Shamalyan (Disney won't be working with him anytime soon, to put it mildly. He made money for them, but then put on his Diva Hat and grew increasingly problematic to work with. He threw a tantrum when they passed on Lady in the Water, and they severed ties and haven't looked back)

Andrew Stainton (John Carter was a good movie, but Disney can't court bad press and uncertainty by turning Star Wars over to him. Maybe later.)

Quentin Tarantino/David Fincher/Terrence Malick/Darren Aronofsky/Danny Boyle/Guy Ritchie/Michael Mann/Martin Scorsese/Ridley Scott/insert edgy, experimental auteur director here (Star Wars isn't edgy. It's old-school high adventure. Directors should more or less disappear into the SW world, the films shouldn't be about the director)

Kevin Smith (oh, I said that already)

Peter Jackson (he's tied up through 2014 and maybe later than that, ditto James Cameron)

I like Martin Campbell a lot but I am not sure if he would be right for Star Wars after his last big effects film, Green Lantern. I would trust him more with an Indiana Jones film.

While I agree with a lot of the names on your "edgy experimental auteur director" list, I am not sure if I would immediately rule out Fincher because of his history with Star Wars.

My top choices would be Brad Bird, Joe Johnston, or Matthew Vaughn.

[Monolithium]

Originally Posted by Ryan0503

Agreed ... the 4th POTC was horrible ... (the 3D effect was pretty amazing though) ... definitely not the direction I wanna see Star Wars go

Gore Verbinski didn't direct the fourth POTC. Rob Marshall did.

[The Edge]

Originally Posted by Ryan0503

Agreed ... the 4th POTC was horrible ...

What the guy above me said. ^^

[beadelf]

Originally Posted by The Edge

What the guy above me said. ^^

yeah the 4th was worse somehow than parts 2 and 3...that must have been hard to do.

regardless.

Id bet highly that verbinski does not direct any of the forthcoming star wars films.

[JonD7]

I think Pirates 2 & 3 were rushed, they were shot back to back.

Are you guys forgetting about the awesomeness that is Rango?... Gore Verbinski is awesome.

[Taipan]

What is does EU stand for?

[Monolithium]

Originally Posted by Taipan

What is does EU stand for?

Expanded Universe