Steven Spielberg Discusses his Recommendation of JJ Abrams for The Force Awakens.
As part of the news coming out of the upcoming 60 minutes feature on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Deadline brings us new comments from Steven Spielberg on JJ Abrams taking over the director’s chair from his old friend George Lucas.
Steven Spielberg told CBS newsmag 60 Minutes that when producer Kathy Kennedy was looking for a director for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, she happened to speak with him. Spielberg, who worked with Kennedy on E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park and other films, told her, “Kathy, there’s only one director that really should undertake this daunting, epic task, and that’s J.J. Abrams.”
It was mentioned when Abrams initially came on board that Spielberg himself had been actually been approached for the job of director on the new Star Wars film, but declined and offered up Abrams as a suitable fit based on their experience working together. But now we have it from the horse’s mouth. Abrams has long been a protégé of the legendary director and has frequently spoken of Spielberg as an inspiration for his directorial style. So, Spielberg suggesting Abrams makes sense given Spielberg’s historical input on the franchise as advisor and friend to George Lucas.
Source: Deadline
this is mafia lol.
Jewish Mafia..
J.J. Abrams so desperately wants to be the new Spielberg and never will be.
He won’t even be the old Spielberg
Old Spielberg > New Spielberg
dear god… let’s hope not. Old Spielberg kind of blows. His last good movies were Catch Me if You Can and Minority Report.
Speilberg in general is over-rated. The thing that undermines his movies is that he tries too hard to make you feel instead of letting the movie carry you along. It’s like being bludgeoned, FEEL DAMN YOU FEEL while someone beats you over the head. FEEL DAMMIT I WILL MAKE YOU FEEL IT!
I’ll go with poltergeist. After that?………………………….
I think everyone says every popular or well known thing is overrated at some point. But it’s all subjective.
he does have some epic films, though. I personally think Jurassic Park is his crowning achievement, followed by the Indy flicks.
Here’s my take, FWIW: Spielberg will be remembered 50 years from now the way Frank Capra is remembered today. Capra isn’t usually hailed as a great auteur, but his films are definitive for a certain era, not only of American filmmaking, but American culture. “E.T”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, and “Jurassic Park” are to the 80s and 90s what “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” are to the 30s and 40s. Capra still manages to entertain and move audiences, and Spielberg will as well; but more importantly, people will (and probably already do) think back to the 80s and 90s and their imagination of the era will be shaped definitively by Spielberg the way our imaginings of the 30s and 40s are by Capra.
Exactly. He will be himself. Why would he wan’t to BE Spielberg?
i’m still holding out hope spielberg will direct a SW movie down the line. but the in the meantime, JJ has done a hell of a job under a ton of pressure and i can’t wait to see what he came up with.
He also recommended Michael Bay for Transformers and insisted that George direct the PT as well as write Indy 4. Thanks, Steve! Used to be one of the best producers in town back in the day till started taking himself too seriously.
Every time you make a movie, it should be harder than last time. The minute you forget that is the minute you fall off.
Harder as in hardcore? Harder to make?
Harder to make
Yeah, They should be bigger in terms of pushing the limits like Empire did after the original but story-wise and not just in terms of effects lke the PT.
Spielberg would have been an obvious choice. But he doesn’t need to do Star Wars. Just like he didn’t need to do MiB or Spiderman or Back to the Future or every other movie that he must have been approached to do.