J.J. Abrams is aware that pretty much anything he says between now and 2015 – the year his new Star Wars hits theatres – will be newsworthy. And speaking at the Produced By Conference in Los Angeles over the weekend, the director didn’t disappoint.
Abrams revealed he will be relocating his family to London later this year before the yet-to-be titled film begins shooting in 2014.
The Star Trek: Into Darkness director didn’t shed any light on the story, but did talk about how he will approach the new series.
“It is so massive and so important to people,” he is quoted by The Hollywood Reporter as saying. “I think the key to moving forward on something like this is honouring but not revering what came before.”
Abrams did express some reservations about uprooting his family from Los Angeles, and mentioned that the move would be something of an inconvenience for his kids.
“When you’re 13 and 14, it’s like, f–k that, I don’t care what the movie is,” he said.
According to THR, Abrams used some of his own money to ensure Star Trek: Into Darkness was filmed in Los Angeles.
When asked whether the new film, which is being scripted by Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), would take its cues from one of the many Star Wars novels that have been released since the original trilogy ended, Abrams wouldn’t comment.
Also not discussed is how Abrams plans on using original trilogy stars Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), and Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), who are all rumoured to have parts in the new film.
And if you think he’s done with the U.S.S. Enterprise, don’t lose hope just yet Trekkies.
In an interview with Playboy earlier this spring, Abrams said his involvement with Star Wars doesn’t mean he can’t do Star Trek 3.
“I would say it’s a possibility… We’re trying to figure out the next step. But it’s like anything: It all begins with the story.”
If you have an ideal plot line for the new Star Wars films, let us know your idea in the comments.