There's still time for Disney and Lucasfilm to hire a director for "Star Wars: Episode VII" before the end of 2012, but don't expect that person to be J.J. Abrams. The "Star Trek" director told Empire Magazine that while he did briefly discuss the job with "Star Wars" producers, he won't wind up behind the camera.
"[T]here were the very early conversations and I quickly said that because of my loyalty to 'Star Trek,' and also just being a fan, I wouldn't even want to be involved in the next version of those things," Abrams said to Empire (via Coming Soon) "I declined any involvement very early on. I'd rather be in the audience not knowing what was coming, rather than being involved in the minutiae of making them."
If those comments sound familiar, it's because Abrams expressed similar sentiments in an interview with HollywoodLife.com in November.
"I was never a big 'Star Trek' fan growing up, so for me, working on 'Star Trek' didn’t have any of that, you know, almost fatal sacrilege," he said. "[S]o, I am looking forward more then anyone to the next iterations of 'Star Wars,' but I believe I will be going as a paying moviegoer!"
For now, the next iteration of "Star Wars" remains in stasis. Michael Arndt ("Little Miss Sunshine") was hired to write the script, but no one has come aboard to direct. The most recent name spit out by the rumor mill was Matthew Vaughn, but the "X-Men: First Class" director is still not officially attached.
For more on Abrams, head over to Coming Soon. The new issue of Empire, with Abrams' "Star Trek Into Darkness" on the cover, is available now.
