Lucasfilm cites creative differences in jettisoning ‘Jurassic World’ filmmaker.
There’s another great disturbance in the «Star Wars» universe. Two and half months after the Disney-owned Lucasfilm removed «22 Jump Street» and «The Lego Movie» filmmakers Chris Miller and Phil Lord as directors of an upcoming standalone movie featuring space rogue Han Solo, it has announced that «Jurassic World» filmmaker Colin Trevorrow has been relieved of his duties at the helm of «Star Wars: Episode IX.»
In a brief statement issued Tuesday (Sept. 5) , Lucasfilm suggested the parting was mutual and cited creative differences as the reason, standard in such Hollywood splits.
«Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on ‘Star Wars: Episode IX, ‘» the three-sentence statement says. «Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.
Unlike the Han Solo movie, which saw Lord and Miller replaced by Oscar winner Ron Howard, a replacement has yet to be named for Trevorrow on «Episode IX.» Also unlike the Han Solo movie, though, there’s at least a little time. Filming has yet to begin on «Episode IX, » which isn’t due in theaters until May 2019.
Trevorrow, who was hired after the success of 2015’s «Jurassic World» — and let go shortly after the failure of his critically panned follow-up, June’s «The Book of Henry» — has yet to comment.
The move establishes a pattern for Lucasfilm in its approach to its newly rebooted, and wildly popular, «Star Wars» franchise: It hires hot, up-and-coming young directors to helm its movies — and then removes them if their vision doesn’t mesh with that of the studio. In addition to the departures of Trevorrow from «Episode IX» and Lord and Miller from the yet-untitled Han Solo film, Luasfilm in 2014 parted ways with «Fantastic Four» director Josh Trank, who had been brought on board to helm a «Star Wars» standalone film.
Mike Scott covers TV and movies for NOLA.com and The Times-Picayune. Reach him at mscott@nola.com, and follow him on Twitter at @moviegoermike.
