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J.J. Abrams will be returning to the Star Wars director's chair, replacing the recently fired Colin Trevorrow at the helm of Star Wars: Episode IX. The news was announced in a statement from the franchise on Tuesday morning.
J.J. Abrams to write and direct Star Wars Episode IX. https://t.co/aVF8UWaK0e pic.twitter.com/YrjgZZNxUx
— Star Wars (@starwars) September 12, 2017
Among many other things on his near astronomical list of credits, Abrams previously directed and co-wrote Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, the first installment in the current sequel trilogy. Episode IX will be the final installment in the trilogy, and Abrams will co-write it with Chris Terrio (Justice League, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Argo).
“With The Force Awakens, J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy,” Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement Tuesday.
Variety reports that the previous director Trevorrow and Lucasfilm "could not see eye-to-eye in regards to the script... and decided to part ways before getting further along in pre-production." The plan was originally to begin production in February 2018, though that date will now likely be moved further back.