Star Wars Episode IX is over a year away and its production may indicate some anxiety reminiscent of the production troubles of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Following director Colin Trevorrow’s departure from the director’s chair, one would wonder if this could impact the film’s overall quality. Trevorrow is known for his directorial efforts in indie comedy film, Safety Not Guaranteed and the massive box-office smash, Jurassic World. There have been problems for the director due to Carrie Fisher’s death which forced Lucasfilm to revise plans. Some have even reported difficulties working with the film-maker along with frustrations revolving Episode XI‘s script from both Trevorrow and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.
Trevorrow has been relatively silent on the matter of his departure, having been replaced by Star Wars: The Force Awakens director, J.J. Abrams. Trevorrow spoke to Empire to promote Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, in which he did not direct this time around but served as co-writer and producer. He reflected on his time working on Episode IX:
“I don’t want to talk too much about it because I don’t want to affect the way that fans get to see these films. When we were kids, these movies came to us from far away. They were a gift. And the more we talk about how they’re made, the more it reveals that they’re just movies. But they’re not just movies, they’re more than that. Beyond that, I got the opportunity to tell a story that is a celebration of everything I believe in, I got to tell it to George Lucas and I got to tell it to Luke Skywalker, and those are experiences I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
It’s quite certain that Trevorrow was passionate for the film and who wouldn’t be? It’s every director’s dream to direct a Star Wars film. It is a shame and a wonder as to what happened that caused his departure. Perhaps its “creative differences” similar to the production of Solo which can seem worrying to say the least. There’s a chance that Lucasfilm just lost faith in him since Jurassic World, despite its commercial success, did receive some criticism from some audiences. His recent film The Book of Henry also did not receive much love from critics and audiences.
Nonetheless, this change could be good for the series as the man that revived the franchise returns. The Force Awakens is probably the best film among the recent installments of the franchise and following some fan criticism of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he could be the director to turn things around.
Source: Empire
