Initial Reports:
The Wrap first reported that J.J. Abrams has signed on to direct the next installment in the Star Wars franchise, citing "an individual with knowledge of the production."
Deadline reported the news a few minutes later, quoting an unnamed source: "It's done deal with J.J."
The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit describes Disney's negotiations with J.J. Abrams as "quite down the road."
The Los Angeles Times reports:
J.J. Abrams is set to direct Episode VII.
Sources have confirmed the Star Trek Into Darkness filmmaker will helm the next Star Wars movie, the highly anticipated installment in the landmark franchise scheduled to reach theaters in 2015.
Star Wars: Episode VII will be written by Michael Arndt, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3.
Variety reports that Disney is "closing the deal" with J.J. Abrams.
"Entertainment Weekly" confirms: J.J. Abrams is set to helm the next installment of "Star Wars"
J.J. Abrams talked to Entertainment Weekly about the new Star Wars movies back in November:
"As a kid I was always a fan of special effects. Watching movies I was constantly trying to figure out how they did it, whatever the effect was. Star Wars was the first movie that blew my mind in that way; it didn't matter how they did any of it because it was all so overwhelmingly and entirely great. It was funny and romantic and scary and compelling and the visual effects just served the characters and story. It galvanized for me; not for what was exciting about how movies were made, but rather for what movies were capable of,"
