One rising trend that seems to be popping up in the production of installments in the “Star Wars” saga under the ownership of Disney is a noticeable turnover rate in positions. Last June, the original directors of a planned 2018 “Star Wars Story” prequel spin-off featuring a young Han Solo were let go by Lucasfilm over “creative differences,” to be replaced by Ron Howard. Then the original written story for “Episode Ix” was replaced with a new script. The first draft was mostly by the hand of director Colin Trevorrow, and the rewrite seemed to portend a significant shakeup in the production.
This was confirmed when it was announced that he has also lost his director’s seat for “Episode IX.”
‘Creative differences’ again
An announcement on the matter was made by Lucasfilm regarding the departure of Colin Trevorrow from the helm of the yet-to-be-subtitled “Star Wars: Episode IX.” Trevorrow, whose previous directorial works include 2015’s “Jurassic World,” was said by the studio to have amicably parted ways from the production. The reason given was the same reason provided for the departure of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord from the co-directorship of the “Han Solo” prequel: vastly different visions on the film project from the producers.
Nevertheless, this development seems to be yet another blow for Trevorrow career-wise, coming so recently after a personal movie endeavor of his, “The Book of Henry” released last June, received both negative reviews and low box office turnout.
It also adds yet another chapter on the rather spotty record of directors coming in to oversee new “Star Wars” films only to leave before things could get off the ground. Aside from Lord and Miller for “Han Solo,” there was also Josh Trank, who was apparently working on a similar prequel spin-off featuring Bobba Fett for Lucasfilm back in 2014, only to back down in the wake of the abysmal performance of his 2015 movie reboot of “Fantastic Four.”
Not always troubled
The phasing out of Colin Trevorrow from involvement in “Star Wars: Episode IX” began when his original script for the film, worked out from notes by “Episode VIII – The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson, was re-written by British playwright Jack Thorne.
Thorne was the scriptwriter for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” whose story he co-wrote with J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany. It is unknown if, after departing completely from “Episode IX” Trevorrow might still retain a writing credit.
Problems with Trevorrow and the original “Han Solo” directors aside, other “Star Wars” films in the Disney era have been produced without incident regarding their directors.
J.J Abrams had no problems directing “Episode VII – The Force Awakens;” neither did Gareth Edwards on “Rogue One” despite needing to do several reshoots. There is no word yet as to who will replace Trevorrow on the director’s seat for “Episode IX,” set to release on 2019.
