Star Wars: Episode IX - 9 Reasons JJ Abrams Is The Right Choice To Direct

3. Crowdpleasing Blockbusters Are His Speciality

Benedict Cumberbatch Star Trek Into Darkness
Paramount

J.J. Abrams has directed five theatrically-released movies, all of which can be considered major tentpole blockbusters; Mission: Impossible 3, Star Trek, Super 8, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Every single one of these movies is positive on Metacritic, fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and made a significant amount of cash. His hot streak is as good as it gets, and this all speaks to the fact that his movies are always popular and enjoyable.

We're not saying all his movies are perfect - far from it - but he knows how to handle a blockbuster. In terms of pure entertainment value he might be the best director working today.

He made Star Trek cool, and brought plenty of non-Trekkies onboard. He saved the Mission: Impossible franchise after the abysmal second instalment, restoring credibility to a series many had written off. Super 8 was a fun monster movie with a huge heart and superb child performances. We feel comfortable saying that not one of his movies is bad.

Again, we're not saying he's perfect, and there are plenty of legitimate problems you can find in his movies. But for a director to make five critically-acclaimed, financially-successful blockbusters in a row is an impressive feat, and this proves that, at the very least, Episode IX will be an enjoyable ride.

Contributor
Contributor

Danny has been with WhatCulture for over ten years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. In 2022, he took charge of WhoCulture and has grown it into the biggest Doctor Who channel on YouTube, and one of the biggest Doctor Who communities on the web full-stop. He has been writing and video editing since his early teens, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers, off the back of a burning obsession with the Matt Smith era of the show. Like many his age, he first got into Doctor Who with the 2005 revival, but has since gone back and fallen in love with the classic years too. If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order, or to give you a random factoid about the making of Gridlock, Danny is the person to ask!