PAJJ Abrams has been lined up to direct Star Wars Episode IX, replacing Jurassic World’s Colin Trevorrow.
Trevorrow departed the galaxy far far away just last week, citing different creative visions, in what was another wrinkle for Lucasfilm after a bumpy few months.
Following the departure, Abrams was always on the shortlist to helm the project, according to THR reporter Borys Kit, but it was not always certain whether he would return to the franchise.
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Rian Johnson, director of the upcoming Star Wars installation The Last Jedi, announced over the weekend that he wasn’t going to direct the last installation in the new trilogy.
Abrams had initially stated that he wouldn’t return to the Star Wars universe as it would be too much of a drain.
He originally told The Hollywood Reporter:
If The Force Awakens worked, it was the perfect place to say ‘I got to make a Star Wars movie’ and not be a greedy b*stard.
DisneyIt makes sense for Lucasfilm to return to Abrams, who fronted the first in the new trilogy, which grossed over $2 billion.
He is also executive producer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, so will have had a hand in all three films, providing a certain continuity and stability to a quickly destabilising franchise.
JJ Abrams is also set to write the project, alongisde Chris Terrio, writer of Argo, Justice League and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
DisneyThere is no change in release date announced from the project, which is still slated to hit screens on May 24 2019.
