Having directed The Force Awakens, Abrams was said to be done with Star Wars, despite admitting he wish he’d stayed on for The Last Jedi after reading the script.
However recent weeks saw a shock turn of events where Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow was fired over creative differences and Abrams was brought in to replace him.
However it turns out getting Abrams back on board wasn’t as easy as it may have first seemed.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker has been on a $ 10 million a year contract with Paramount Pictures since 2006.
Abrams has directed two Star Trek movies and Super 8 for Paramount, bringing in big box office success.
However for Lucasfilm to secure the director, Disney – which owns the rights to Star Wars – had to pay Paramount “a one-time shot of less than seven figures.”
Despite parachuting in to save Star Wars, it’s likely that Paramount will attempt a renewed deal with Abrams, who they consider “the next Steven Spielberg.”
Allegedly The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson turned down Star Wars Episode IX.
Johnson previously said: “It was never in the plan for me to direct Episode IX, so I don’t know what’s going to happen with it.
“But for me I was entirely focussed on Episode VIII and having this experience and now I’m just thinking about putting the movie out there and seeing how audiences respond to it. So no, I’m not thinking about it right now.”
Star Wars: Episode IX will be released on December 20, 2019.
Daily Express :: Entertainment Feed
