10 Dream Directors For Hollywood's Biggest Franchises

Brad Bird has already turned down Star Wars once before, declining the offer to direct the then-untitled Episode VII in order to focus on passion project Tomorrowland, but with new movies set in a galaxy far far away happening on an annual basis, there's every chance the 59 year-old filmmaker will get his shot in the very near future.

As well as being a huge Star Wars fan, Bird's credentials speak for themselves. The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille all won Annie Awards for Best Feature, Writing and Directing while the latter two scooped Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, as well as landing nominations for Best Original Screenplay.

Making the seamless transition into live action, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol became the best-reviewed and highest-grossing entry in the long-running franchise yet. In fact, Bird's first four movies all have a score of at least 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. And while Tomorrowland may have been a critical and commercial dud let down by a weak narrative, there is no denying that from a technical standpoint it is hugely ambitious and frequently stunning.

With a filmography littered with complex family dynamics, sympathetic characters, fast-paced action, no shortage of humor and impressive visuals, Kathleen Kennedy would be foolish not to make a concerted attempt to sign Brad Bird up to direct a Star Wars movie as soon as The Incredibles 2 hits theaters next summer.