We’re still over a year away from seeing J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII, and two years away from Gareth Edwards’ Star Wars spin-off, but Disney can’t stop announcing the cool talent they’ve got lined up for this new generation of George Lucas’s blockbuster franchise. Next up: Rian Johnson, the director of the acclaimed murder mystery Brick and the sci-fi thriller Looper, has been tapped to write and direct Star Wars: Episode VIII, provide a treatment for Star Wars: Episode IX, and “possibly” direct the final film in the third official trilogy as well.
Related: Wanna Be in Star Wars: Episode VII?
The story was confirmed today by both Deadline and The Wrap, which both agreed that Rian Johnson would provide the treatment for the ninth installment of Star Wars, but only deadline claims that the intention – though unofficial – is for Johnson to helm that installment as well. Normally we’d say it’s too soon to tell, but with the way Disney is offering press releases about which talented directors they’ve hired to take over this series, it seems more than likely that we’ll be hearing you will direct Episode IX and possibly Episodes X through XXX in the next couple of weeks.
Oh wait, they already made Star Wars XXX never mind.
With Disney planning to release a Star Wars movie every single year for the next… ever, apparently… it seems we will never run out of news about these upcoming movies. Fortunately, Disney seems eager to hire genuine talent like Rian Johnson, whose new part at the head of this franchise can only be viewed as extremely good news.
Good luck, Rian! We’re sure you’ve got the right stuff.
This Week in Film News – Week Ending 06/20/14
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
This Week in Film News - Week Ending 6/20/14
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Breaking: Rian Johnson Will Write and Direct Star Wars: Episode VIII
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Report: Matt Damon Returning for Bourne 5
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Hulk Smashes, DC Superhero and Scooby-Doo Movies on Most Craved
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Doctor Strange Conjures Up a New Screenwriter
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The Expendables 3: New Trailer, New Cast
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Transformers: Age of Extinction – Exclusive Dinobots TV Spot!
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