Director Colin Trevorrow Discusses Star Wars: Episode IX with Fandango!
Episode IX, the final episode in the new sequel trilogy, seems very far off as we sit here still a half a year ahead of the release of The Last Jedi. We not only have the upcoming second film in the trilogy before we worry about a third, but also the second standalone film coming next year as well when Han Solo moves the Star Wars franchise back into the summer movie season. But before we know it, we’ll start getting set reports and location updates on Episode IX, so with that you will start to see the film’s director, Colin Treverrow popping up in interviews and appearances related to Star Wars more and more often.
Until now, most of the media’s attention has focused mostly on the directors of the first two films in JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, but Fandango did speak to Treverrow recently to discuss his new film The Book of Henry. During the interview they managed to get a few questions in about the upcoming Episode IX. Treverrow briefly discusses some of the pressures of taking over the last episode of this trilogy in such an iconic franchise as well as his approach and how it differs from Rian Johnson’s.
Fandango: So you’re about to make a Star Wars movie — is that something that you think about? How much you’re going to influence this younger generation, handing them a movie and an experience they may cherish for the rest of their lives?
Trevorrow: It’s how it was with us [growing up]. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia were all characters that we were able to identify with in various ways, and especially with the character of Rey and what she means to young girls right now, and the challenges that she’s up against. It is extremely crucial that I understand what actual children are feeling about these stories that we’re telling them, and I think it’s important that I have kids, and if filmmakers don’t have kids, they should go talk to them because they don’t see things the same way that we did when we were kids. So, yes, I am very dialed in to that because I think it’s a requisite of the job.
Fandango: Rian Johnson has a list of movies he watched that helped inform Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Do you have a list of movies you watched or are watching right now to help you prepare?
Trevorrow: I mean, I watch movies all the time just cause I’m a person, but I’m not in a research phase right now. I also do a strange thing, which maybe isn’t the right thing to do, but as I get close to a movie I stop watching movies that are similar to it because I’m afraid I’m going to rip off shots from them or something and I want it to feel pure and instinctive all along the way. There’ll be an interview someday where I’ll say what those movies were that inspired me, and they’ll print it. That’s not yet, not yet.
Fandango: Is it your hope to make a film that’s better or more memorable than, say, Return of the Jedi?
Trevorrow: My hope is to make it as richly satisfying as it could possibly be. I have a lot of support, and a lot of really brilliant thinkers and storytellers around me. Kiri Hart and the Lucasfilm story group, and Michelle Rejwan, and Kathy Kennedy, my producers, and J.J. [Abrams] and Rian [Johnson], and Larry Kasdan, and when you look at this army of brilliant people that we have, it’s not me alone. It’s a whole team.
Head over to Fandango for the full interview.
As long as it doesn’t end with Rey running to get an old Sith to defeat a new Sith who gets assisted by Blue… I mean Kylo Ren and then gets eaten by a Rathtar I’m all good.
Aaaaannnd you just spoiled the entire movie..thanks. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/284e66c0869077049fc3d39fc91de8293b0ce513b0bfd8f0784b796142017180.jpg
There are a lot of good comments here by Treverrow. I hope the Book of Henry gives me a bit more confidence in him as a director.
Considering how derivative and otherwise silly Jurassic World is, I am still a little cautious. I fear his movie will be weaker than Johnson’s.
Considering Book of Henry currently has a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I think we can officially start panicking.
It always gets dicey when a Star Wars director starts talking about crafting their movie around their personal image of what they think that children want to see. Star Wars has always been at its best when its creators have aimed their work at their own inner child, rather than trying to second-guess what is going to appeal to actual children.
Adults are too far removed from what it was actually like to be a kid, for one thing. It’s like the high school guidance counselor who tries to be “cool” in front of the kids – and invariably ends up falling spectacularly onto his or her ass. It just doesn’t tend to end well.
The other and IMHO more important thing, though, is that when a filmmaker honestly uses their own inner child as a guide, it often means that their work ends up getting a genuine reaction from their ten year-old self while also traveling through layers and layers of their adult self without making that adult part of themselves cringe. And THAT’S where you get a film that appeals to “children of all ages” rather than a sappy children’s film that parents manage to tolerate.
Here’s hoping that the interview quote from Trevorrow about focusing on what children want to see was overstated to a significant degree, and that he just makes a movie that HE digs on a level that happens to resonate with his own inner “ten year-old Colin”.
I tend to agree with critic/fan reflection on original Star Wars in 1977 that it was very appealing to kids, but not as a typical kid movie of the day (full of silly immature humor and goofy characters, think of the Disney live action movies of the 60s and 70s). It was more of a kid’s “when I grow up” fantasy. That means a serious world, and characters acting seriously, by doing exciting and important and dangerous things. And not by pandering to youngsters (JarJar anyone?)
I agree. Lucas has frequently said (both around the release of the original ’77 film and in countless interviews afterward) that he set out to make Star Wars “a film for young people.” He obviously succeeded immensely, more than he ever anticipated – but he also achieved something I’m not sure he intended. He made a film that not only captured the imaginations of kids and teenagers – but the inner child that lives in almost every adult as well. A LOT of people felt like an awestruck child while watching it – whether they were 5 years old or 50. And this was facilitated, like you pointed out, by the fact that it wasn’t overly silly or pandering. It’s why Star Wars has stayed relevant for 40 years and is still near the top of the pop culture lexicon. It’s just as popular today – in fact it’s probably MORE popular today – than it was back then. Not bad for a guy that just set out to make a fun little science fiction film that hearkened back to the Saturday matinee movies of his youth. But, those kind of things are hard to duplicate, and most times they seem to happen almost by accident. I know it’s an overused expression, but it truly is like catching lightning in a bottle. Fortunately, Lucas was able to recreate that feeling (to debatable levels of effectiveness) throughout most of the rest of the Original Trilogy. I think most people agree he lost a lot of this mojo on the Prequel Trilogy. It might be too early to tell for sure on the Sequel Trilogy, but The Force Awakens was a pretty good start (I have my criticisms of the film – but I still thought it was an overall FUN movie). My fingers are crossed that Johnson and Treverrow can deliver in the next two films, but I’m optimistic…
Fully agree. Quotes like that remind me of why I was upset to an extent when Disney picked up the SW universe. Under original ownership we got some good films and some disputed films, but at the end of the day he was putting out a story he wanted to tell. With new ownership, it’s still about telling a story to an extent… but also very much about getting all those credits which is incentive enough for them to focus more on factors that will get as many people in as possible and you can call those nostalgia factors which is why we see the standalone’s focusing more on what will pull in seats. Simply put for me, I feel the process has been reversed where under George it was let me see if I have a story to tell then try to bring it to life on screen and make money as opposed to now it is let’s think of something all the people like that will make money, now let’s a make a story around that.
Either way I’m sure we’ll *hopefully* get soemthing good. Trevorrow is the one direct I’m most uncertain of.
I hear what you’re saying, but at the same time not all of us have the same inner child. Some may have wanted to be a Jedi as a kid. Others a swash buckling Han Solo type.
I think that there is risk however you approach it, and the thing is that approaching it by trying to work out what kids want to see is not necessarily bad either. I think we as older fans tend to forget that children are far easier to please and this new trilogy will have it’s own legion of child fans, just like the prequels did and just like us 30 years ago.
Lucas understood it or at least he did during the OT before success tainted that understanding he had with the PT though admittedly he understood it more than Abrams or Johnson does.
I think Edwards got it to a lesser degree too.
dont know what to think about this guy i hope im wrong but he doesnt have much experience to write and direct the last chapter of the saga…
He did Jurassic World justice. Given the genre it is, a pop-corn crowd pleaser, it still felt like an authentic JW experience, fun and adventurous. Not an easy task to do after failed sequels.
yes but its still just one movie… im gonna watch it tonight
I love that deep and insightful final question.
“No, I want you to forget it ever happened the moment you leave the theater.”
“a film that’s better or more memorable than, say, Return of the Jedi?”
I wish I could slate this interviewer around the head after this remark.
The only thing that worries me is that ending in Jurassic World. Was a bit of a mess. I’d hate to have the crescendo of the NT to be fumbled.
Everything in Jurassic World was a mess
Luckily, Lucasfilm and Kathleen Kennedy are smart, and will be very eager to assist Trevorrow in making the movie good.
That ending was a crowdpleaser.
I swear the Raptor and Rex were this close to a fist bump. Ugh… lol
So awesome. Nature rising up against man-man abominations. Loved it haha
I get the feeling that Johnson could be the reverse Kershner. Kershner was a shitty genre director who directed the best SW film ever made and didn’t do much of merit afterward while Johnson actually has some good credits and will likely have a good career after the ST but hasn’t really shown he understands the universe of Star Wars at all.
Agreed – based on the “meh” Trailer, I am worried.
You’ve seen about 2 minutes of the movie out of context.
Calm down.
Both these two…lol
Ikr. Unholy union.
The consensus is that the TLJ Trailer was underwhelming. It lacked a “Chewie We’re Home” moment that inspired such zeal & instantaneous-excitement for TFA. The ending of “Time for the Jedi to end” , coupled with Mark HAmill’s not-so-excited-commentary, has me BRACED for lowered-expectations and yawn-time in theater.
Consensus is not something I am really interested.
As for lacking a Chewie moment, that moment is gone. You’ll never get it back. That movie was the return and this is continuing a story. Looking for that feeling to return is pointless.
It’s clearly a darker, more person movie and if the lack of a fan-service applause line in a TEASER lowers your expectations, then that’s your own problem.
You saw a teaser. The equivalent of the first TFA teaser. “Chewie, we’re home” was in the second TFA trailer. Teasers don’t typically have jaw-dropping moments, only brief glimpses. And I have no idea how you determined what the “consensus” was on it. Did you conduct a poll?
Totally agree. I am very worried about TLJ and insiders seem to be worried too. Besides, I think the movie’s marketing has been totally wrong so far (unlike TFA, which was brilliant).
Trevorrow’s Book of Henry is getting torn to shreds by critics. Not very reassuring.