The case for Jedi Abrams

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Are Star Wars fans doing this (see Han to right) after an insider report broke yesterday that Star Trek director J.J. Abrams has been tapped to direct Episode VII of the now Disney-owned intergalactic series? Fans worldwide might be in existential crisis today over the apparent rip in the space-time continuum caused by having the same filmmaker helm both storied science fiction franchises. It certainly is a lot of nerd power for one Force user to wield.

But, let’s assume The Wrap article (echoed by everyone from Variety and Rolling Stone to The Hollywood Reporter) is correct and that an official announcement from Disney is merely weeks or even days away. And forget that Abrams is steering the Enterprise for Star Trek. Is he a good fit for Star Wars? I’ve spent the better part of the last 12 hours thinking on this, and here are five reasons why I think the answer is a definite ‘yes’:

1. Abrams can mimic any tone he wants. And Star Wars, the original, has a unique and uniquely precious feel to it—a blend of Western, pulp serial sci-fi, and WWII drama. Much like Tarantino, Abrams grew up a sponge for movie aesthetics and styles and is an expert at meshing them. As a director and producer he has shown killer instincts for adopting the tone and feel of his favorite movies. Just look at Super 8, a love-letter to E.T. and 1980s-era kids flicks. Super 8 looks and feels like it was directed by Spielberg himself.

2. Abrams loves Star Wars more than Star Trek, a series he revived nonetheless in stunning fashion with his 2009 reboot. Dude had never even watched much Trek, but he stepped in and nailed the characters and relationships of Kirk, Spock and the whole crew. By contrast, he’s been an absolute Skywalker fanatic since he was 11. You do the math.

3. Abrams likes practical sets. Maybe this is due to his years as a TV show runner (Alias, Lost) but Abrams has a deep affection for placing his actors in real physical environments instead of in front of green screens. One of the biggest failings of Lucas’ Star Wars prequels was a severe over reliance on computer generated environments that took some of the most talented actors of the day (Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson) and turned their charisma into cardboard surrounded by cartoons.

4. Abrams knows monsters. From Cloverfield to Star Trek, and Fringe and Super 8, Abrams and his chief creature creator Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus, Watchmen) have fashioned some of the most memorable, intriguing and frightening beasts and bogeymen of the last decade. Star Wars is nothing if its aliens and foes are not wickedly bizarre and believable.

5. Abrams understands and appreciates mystery. One of the world’s most secretive directors with the press—see his flat-out Star Wars denial last fall and Cloverfield campaign—also knows the importance of mystery, potential and hope to a narrative. Watch his “Mystery Box” TED talk (embedded below) to see how, in 15 seconds flat, Abrams displays a greater understanding for what made the original Star Wars movie so thrilling than Lucas himself ever showed in the 8 years he spent making the lackluster prequels. “Mystery is the catalyst for imagination,” Abrams says. He’s right.

No other details about the cast or storyline have been released, but with a screenplay by Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3 writer Michael Arndt, Star Wars: Episode VII is slated for a 2015 release.