J.J. Abrams Talks Avoiding STAR WARS Fan Service; Comparisons To STAR TREK

J.J. Abrams Talks Avoiding STAR WARS Fan Service; Comparisons To STAR TREK

The Star Trek Into Darkness director talks a little about how he's going to approach Star Wars Episode VII, and whether he plans to cater to what the fans want to see. He also says he's not worried about Trek comparisons..

By MarkCassidy - May 02, 2013 08:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: BBC.co.UK

J.J. Abrams has already revealed that he had to think long and hard before agreeing to come aboard Disney's newly acquired Star Wars franchise. The director is such as massive fan that he wanted to be sure he was going to be able to do the series justice, but while chatting to the BBC he says he was also worried about being seen as the "guy who reboots franchises". "It was one of the main reasons I initially said no to Star Wars," he tells the BBC's Will Gompertz. "I thought, 'I can't be that guy.'". But of course, he changed his mind, and he goes on to explain how he's planning on approaching such a massive undertaking. Basically, he's not gonna pay too much attention to what he thinks the fans want to see!



"It's just about about approaching it from as authentic a place as possible, and not trying to apply what you believe or think, as much as trying to filter everything and get at it from the core of the characters. It should be what you deeply want to see, never what you assume the fans might like."


Some fans have expressed concern that Abrams' Star Wars movie may have too similar a feel to his rebooted Star Trek films, especially considering it can be argued that his first Trek had a bit of a "Star-Warsy" tone anyway. "To me they are such wildly disparate universes," says the director. "The back story, the tone, the mood, certainly the history [and] the characters - that I'm in no way worried."









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Vaportrail
Vaportrail - 5/2/2013, 8:59 PM
That was one thing that really bugged me about Clone Wars, how often they referenced/quoted the movies.

I'm not worried about that here.
titansupes
titansupes - 5/2/2013, 9:02 PM
I hope he makes good on this promise, as much as I love the look and feel of his Trek, Wars needs something different.
bazinga85
bazinga85 - 5/2/2013, 9:02 PM
He'll do great things with VII. TERRIBLE!!...but great
-hagrid
thebearjew
thebearjew - 5/2/2013, 9:12 PM
i guess thats why i liked the 09 trek reboot so much! There was action star trek involves a lot of talk

Cant wait for both movies either! @CoulsonLives
Were lucky to have such awesome film franchises
JoeMomma29
JoeMomma29 - 5/2/2013, 9:15 PM
Because it is a bold article my friend!!!!
TheOneAboveAll
TheOneAboveAll - 5/2/2013, 9:15 PM
Because we are supporting the choice.
JoeMomma29
JoeMomma29 - 5/2/2013, 9:22 PM
Hey at this point Star Wars can only go up. Unless he decides to fool with us and bring back Jar Jar Binks!
Vadakin
Vadakin - 5/2/2013, 9:56 PM
My vote was for Alfonso Cuaron.
bonesmcgee
bonesmcgee - 5/2/2013, 10:47 PM
@themcdougalbugle

Sorry, I don't think many people will read your ramblings. Your point is moot because JJ has the job. We can discuss the 'what if' once the movie is out. right now it's too early to say anything about it.
nach1wan
nach1wan - 5/2/2013, 10:49 PM
@Vaportrail the clone wars didnt reference much of the movies, it was mostly its own thing. its by far the best thing star wars, for now
ahhmynuts
ahhmynuts - 5/3/2013, 1:23 AM
@themcdougalbugle

just read the first 4-5 lines of your rant and already disagree. jj abrams is a great pick. saying hes a bad pick because he's well known and not risky is ignorant and to hire a no-name would be a careless move on kathleens part. and with the star wars franchise do you really want that move? abrams obviously has a great idea about the next trilogy let the man who resurrected star trek and has had great success in the past with story telling handle the job. not some 'risky' no name.
phoenixforce9
phoenixforce9 - 5/3/2013, 1:23 AM
@ bazinga85
as opposed to George Lucas himself doing terrible things with it? haha

I was really let down by episodes 1-3. The technology and effects got better but it lost its heart. The characters didn't have chemistry at all. At this point I want to see a Star Wars movie that makes me feel the same way when I was 8 and watching New Hope for the first time.

Himura
Himura - 5/3/2013, 1:52 AM
@themcdougalbugle

I'm sure you made some great points but TBH I didnt read any of it past the first line cuz I saw that you wrote an essay.
Danbojohnj
Danbojohnj - 5/3/2013, 2:22 AM
I just hope it's not to glossy and shiny like all modern special effects films today with almost every actor looking like some kinda MTV model.Less CGI and more beat up practical sets too.
Victrois
Victrois - 5/3/2013, 3:32 AM
@ Phoenixforce9 you see that's the mistake that you and so many others make. You want to see movie that makes you feel like a kid again. You want to go back to that time and live it over. But I'm telling you, the next Star Wars could be a carbon copy of the one you saw and loved and as a kid. And still not like it or have that connection. The reason why? Your not that person anymore. You grew up. You got a life. You lost your innocence and if your anything like the rest of us. You've lost that ability to see things that way ever again. It would be a mistake for JJ to make his version appealing to old timer Star Wars fans. We don't live in the late 70's early 80s any more. When was the last time anyone here popped an 8 track or cassette tape into their radios and snorted cocain while wearing a White sequins glove on their hand? You want him to make a movie in the year 2014 or 15 that looks and feels like a movie made last century? That doesn't make any sense?! But I must admit. I am biased. I love JJ Abrams work. The guy is like a god to me. who blessed me with such awesome gifts that go by the names alias, lost, and fringe. His version won't be like George's. but he is such a professional that I think it would be great to see his take on it even as an oddity. Like watching a zombie apocalypse directed by Michael bay. Or straight up horror film directed by Steven Spielberg. Or an iron man movie directed by Shane Black. Seriously people I just saw that midnight showing and it weird!!!
captainireland
captainireland - 5/3/2013, 3:36 AM
@nach1wan The Clone Wars didn't reference the movies much in terms of discussing their events but it did regularly have characters quoting famous lines from all 6 movies, applying them to their situations. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it was a bit cringe worthy. On the whole though I really enjoyed the series but there are a lot of nods to the movies, if not direct references.
Presence1
Presence1 - 5/3/2013, 5:19 AM
I think JJ will inject much needed new life into STAR WARS much like he did with Trek. This should be really good!
ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 5/3/2013, 7:49 AM
@themcdougalbugle What is wrong with picking a well known director? Most of the times, when a director is well known, it's because he's a very good director.

My only concern for the new Star Wars is the main characters, the villain (or villains), and the story. And all those concerns are also on the mind of an Oscar winning writer. Nuff Said.
AnakinsTwin
AnakinsTwin - 5/3/2013, 8:56 AM
Im waiting with baited breath for the next round of Star Wars movies and solo projects. As Victrois stated before we can't reclaim our past selves or how we perceived things before. I hope JJ pushes SW forward in a bold direction instead of trying to duplicate what's already come! I for one would love to see a grittier Star Wars emerge!

@ the mcdougal bugle:
1) I love Star Wars as much as anyone, I can quote almost every line of the original trilogy, know tons of useless SW trivia and named my first born son Lucas! It's a piece of our past that's near and dear to our hearts, but lets get real, it ain't Shakespeare dude!
Whatever Barnes & Noble might plug it next to on a shelf doesn't make it the equal, I'm sure you could find a book on Ghandi next to one on Kim kardashian....... New Hope is my favorite movie of all time but I've got some perspective, it's NOT a grand literary work!

2) I think you're way underestimating JJ. Although all of his films haven't been golden, who's have been? Every great director from Spielberg to Coppola to Scorsese has missed the mark now and again. What's most important is passion and vision and I believe he has both for this project!

3) Did you actually say "Now any hopes of this being up there with Ben Hur, Lawrence of Arabia and better than Empire Strikes Back can go down the drain"? You do know there isn't even a script written yet right??? Please, take a moment to collect yourself. Like the rest of us you have no idea what's yet to come, for all we know it might be Shakespearean !!!
exe
exe - 5/3/2013, 9:34 AM
Give us [frick]ing new characters! Tired of the Skywalkers. Tired of the Solos. Tired of [frick]ing stupid robots and plot holes. Give us something like the Old Republic badasses.
ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 5/3/2013, 10:18 AM
@exe You want the sequel to Star Wars to be set 3000 years before all the movies?

Personally, I would like to see Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo, along with Ben Skywalker on the big screen.
mcconnachie
mcconnachie - 5/3/2013, 12:28 PM
@themcdougalbugle

Beautifully written and argued piece.
Zuriel
Zuriel - 5/3/2013, 7:37 PM
Joseph Kosinski would be my pick. Already connected to Disney through Tron and Oblivion proved his talent.
nach1wan
nach1wan - 5/4/2013, 7:44 AM
@captainireland dont see anything wrong with that, and its likely that will still happen in the sequel trilogy and anything new
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