The fervent rumour has been doing the rounds that J.J Abrams has been getting cold feet regarding directing Star Wars Episode VII, and may be on the verge of bailing; this will apparently hinge on whether or not we hear a titling or casting announcement at Germany's Star Wars Celebration at the weekend, and without a big announcement, many expect that Abrams will bail from the project in the coming weeks. LucasFilm has, predictably, been quick to quash the rumour, and indeed, it's important to take Devin Faraci's original report only at face value, even if he stated that he had heard the news from several trusted sources at Comic-Con. All this talk got us thinking, however; maybe Abrams
should quit Star Wars Episode VII. Though there's every likelihood that Abrams will deliver another stellar sci-fi movie, the original announcement of his joining the franchise was met with much ambivalence by fans on both sides of the fence, and that sentiment hasn't really dissipated yet. Needless to say, there are plenty who would like to see the director replaced, and here are 8 reasons why that should happen...
8. Is His Heart Really In It?
It's important to remember that when Abrams name was first raised in connection with another Star Wars movie, he initially swore it off, before having a "change of heart" and deciding that it was something he wanted to do. Furthermore, the rumours about his impending departure cite the main reason being Abrams' dissatisfaction with the project being shot in the UK; all of the director's prior films were shot in Los Angeles, where the director and his family are based. Shooting in the UK means Abrams being away from his family for around a year, and while his commitment to staying close to his family is commendable, it suggests that, if true, his heart isn't 100% in this project. Given how disastrous the "new trilogy" of films was on the whole, a director who isn't 100% committed to the project could spell disaster moving ahead, and given that Faraci also suggested that Abrams was butting heads with Disney on shooting schedules and locations, it suggests - again, only if true - that the partnership is far from harmonious.