Since the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm and accompanying announcement of STAR WARS Episode VII on the way, one of the biggest questions out there is who would take over as director of the new installment. George Lucas announced he would only be involved in a consultant basis, and there’s been a lot of names thrown around as potentials. Today we know for sure who the new man in change is. JJ Abrams, the man behind LOST and the big screen rebooting of STAR TREK, is in fact going to direct Episode VII for Lucasfilm and Disney. The Wrap broke the news, and added that apparently Ben Affleck was also close to getting the job. Kathleen Kennedy has been pursuing Abrams for the job for a while now, but this is also interesting news as Abrams told Entertainment Weekly in November that he would not take the job. Guess he had a change of heart. Abrams is not-so-secretly a STAR WARS fan, I even remember him showing up as a fan at Star Wars Celebration one year, shortly before he finished work on his first STAR TREK movie. He’s currently putting finishing touches on STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, his second directorial work on the franchise, and many credit him as the man who breathed life back into Gene Roddenberry’s creation. Abrams isn’t too shabby as a “creator” himself, giving us LOST, ALIAS and FRINGE. He’s directed movies like SUPER 8 (a loving nod to 1980’s Steven Spielberg style), MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III, and of course the two STAR TREK movies (the latter of which opens May 18). STAR WARS Episode VII is set to come out in 2015, with a script by Michael Arndt (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE). There’s been no official announcement yet from Lucasfilm or Disney, but expect that soon enough. So what do you think? Is Abrams the right choice for this? Are you excited to see what he can do with the franchise? Sound off in the comments below!
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
I kind getting tired of the way he directs. He dose a lot of lighting flare and shaking of the camera.