J.J. Abrams Will Direct Star Wars: Episode VII

The past few months has been quite exciting for Star Wars fans everywhere.  After The Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm this past October, they immediately announced a new Star Wars trilogy set to begin in the Summer of 2015.  This is great news and all, there was just one problem: Episode VII had to enter pre-production right away and Disney needed to get a team together fast.  They were quick to hire writer Michael Arndt(Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3), but the director position was still up in the air.  Among those approached were Steven Spielberg, Brad Bird, Joss Whedon, Jon Favreau, and J.J. Abrams. While Abrams initially declined the offer, Disney announced yesterday that he has signed on to both direct and produce Star Wars: Episode VII.

From Trek to Wars, J.J. Abrams is getting involved in Hollywood's most popular franchises

How has the community responded to the announcement? Very well for the most part, which isn't surprising considering the incredibly positive reception of his Star Trek reboot.  Which brings up another question: How will Abrams' involvement in Star Wars affect his involvement with Star Trek?  It's unknown at this point whether or not a sequel to this summer's Star Trek Into Darkness will be made(the box-office results will likely determine that), but if Paramount wants one I can guarantee they will want Abrams involved.  On the other hand, Abrams is not confirmed to direct the other two movies in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.  Abrams' involvement with the two franchises will likely depend on how well each one performs.  If both are successful(which would not be surprising), J.J. Abrams may have to make some very tough decisions in the near future.

Star Trek Into Darkness hits theaters May 17, while Star Wars: Episode VII is on track for a release in the Summer of 2015.