Who Should Direct Star Wars Episode VII?

Since Disney scooped up another huge company with a plethora of franchise rights, it’s no surprise that Star Wars Episode VII was given the green light. For some reason Disney thought they’d start asking the most unlikely of candidates to helm the restart of the franchise, Steven Spielberg (friend of George Lucas), Quentin Tarantino (not necessarily a family filmmaker or a sci-fi filmmaker for that matter), and Zach Snyder (please god no). The director will likely be someone whom few of us have heard of, someone whom the studio can push around a bit, a young guy. All the rock star directors are too busy with their own projects. Passing off the Star Wars franchise to new hands is like trying to give your size 12 sneaker to a pal of yours who wears a size 10, it’s not your story, you have no right to tell it truthfully nor for that matter properly. This is George’s series, it’s going to be tough to find anyone whom can convey the emotion of Star Wars again like Lucas did. Maybe this is what the franchise needs, a new set of eyes, and hands… and mouth. I’d like to take some time to nominate suggestions of my own, and also ask the community whom they’d think could bring some fire under the very settled stew of Star Wars. This list doesn’t include writers or producers or actors, or editors, or cinematographers or composers or any of the other endless positions that are required to create a solid film. But the stronger the hands holding these people together, the better chance we get a better Star Wars.

1. Tarsem Singh

Tarsem Singh’s The Fall is a labor of pure, true love, and you can feel it as you’re watching. He has an incredible story, running away from India with nothing, to chase his dream of making films. Now he doesn’t care what he’s doing as long as he gets to make beautiful imagery. The Fall feels like a fairy tale, and a fairy tale is exactly what George Lucas set out to do with the original Star Wars trilogy. Tarsem Singh could spice up Star Wars both visually, and make it magical again.

2. Rupert Sanders

Mr. Sanders has only officially directed one feature length film, and I found a short of his based on a comic book but never watched it, it was one of those things that sat in a tab on my browser for a day or two before I blew it off completely. Snow White and The Huntsman was impressive. For a feature film debut it was excellent. Considering what he was given to work with, which was no doubt the studios call, he pulled off both one of the most vibrant visual spectacles of the year, and managed to tell a pretty darn compelling story with some fascinating characters. I actually bought into the love story and I loved Charlize Theron, the seven dwarfs, and Chris Hemsworth. Kristen Stuart is another story, as my mother says “dat bitch can’t act!” I think under a fantastic producer like Jerry Bruckheimer or JJ Abrams, this could be a reality. While Spielberg is a great filmmaker and Lucas a fantastic business man, I disagree that either of them are strong producers at this point. Spielberg seems to lack the eye and heart for it (he’s been on the directors end for too long and sympathizes) and Lucas is far more concerned with toy sales rather than the integrity of the film.

3. Brad Bird

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol was excellent. Brad Bird threw his stamp on the franchise nice a big for everyone to see. His sense of action and adventure are incredible (Dubai tower action scene). He’s also able to tell a great bed time story, The Iron Giant is a kids friendly sci-fi film that evokes a Spielbergian sense of nostalgia. Like JJ Abrams Super 8 only better. The Incredibles is also my favorite Pixar film.

4. Christopher Nolan

This one is really just for fun. I can’t see Nolan taking these reigns in a million years. While he is a huge Star Wars fan, I don’t think Disney would go with his adult themes. Nolan would also want to painstakingly study the films themes and characters to no end, and then throw in everything he thinks on the subject. I love the idea of him behind the camera but I can’t see it happening.

Please share any directors you think should take over the series, and maybe a brief summary of why.

What do you think? Leave a comment.