The good news is that, as we learned on Friday, J.J. Abrams is officially directing Star Wars: Episode VII.
The bad news is that he may push the release date that Disney had already set.
Disney had announced a 2015 release for Episode 7 when they purchased Lucasfilm in October. At the time, of course, there was no director set. Now with Abrams on board, a source has told The Hollywood Reporter that “Abrams has not committed to that release date.”
Why wouldn’t he want 2015? Abrams may be taking his time to put together the project to make sure it’s the best it can be. He’s currently finishing up Star Trek Into Darkness, hitting theaters this May, and will also produce the third Star Trek film as well as Mission: Impossible 5. That’s a lot on the plate of just one person.
George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars franchise, was very excited about Abrams taking on the project. “I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”
Added Abrams on Friday, “To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor. I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”
If Star Wars: Episode VII gets its 2015 release date as planned, it’ll be a huge year for the studio: The Avengers 2 will also be opening on May 1, 2015.