‘Looper’ director to take on ‘Star Wars Episode VIII’

‘Looper’ director Rian Johnson will direct the next ‘Star Wars’ film.

UPDATE: Looper director Rian Johnson will indeed direct Star Wars: Episode VIII and will write a treatment for Episode IX.

Original Story:

Deadline is reporting that Looper director Rian Johnson is in talks with Lucasfilm to direct the next episodic Star Wars film, Episode VIII.

While many assumed Star Wars: Episode VII director J.J. Abrams would take on the trilogy, it seems this is not the case. It’s already confirmed that Chronicle director Josh Trank will sit in the director’s chair for one of the spin-off films as well as Godzilla director Gareth Edwards, but no one knew for certain who would be directing the films in the core storyline.

So, Trank has dealt with force-like abilities in Chronicle, Edwards dabbled with enormous creatures in Godzilla, and J.J. Abrams is no stranger to space and aliens; are you seeing a pattern? It’s very reassuring that they are keeping with the theme of Star Wars by possibly bringing in Johnson who also dealt with force-like powers and more excitingly, time.

There have been leaks previously about the movie, those of which showed off a new Millenium Falcon and more practical effects. In more news, 12 Years a Slave actress Lupita Nyong’o and Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie have been cast for Episode VII alongside those previously announced.

Source: Deadline / The Hollywood Reporter