In what in science fiction is as taboo as "crossing the streams", J.J. Abrams is going to direct the next Star Wars film, according to The Wrap. Just like in Pulp Fiction, how no one can like The Beatles or Elvis equally, no one can hold Star Wars and Star Trek in equal esteem.
Growing up, it was all about Wars. Shatner and company made Trek campy and ridiculous (not to mention The Search For Spock, what was that?). It was all about Ewoks and Boba Fett, not Klingons or even Khan (KHAN!). What helped Star Wars' appeal was that it was, originally, three movies and that's it. Aside from the Endor live action made-for-TV movies, there was no new live action content. This made it special. On the flip side, there were multiple Star Trek TV shows and movies of varying quality and success that only served to cheapen and muddle the Gene Roddenberry legacy.
However, a tipping point occurred when George Lucas decided to bring us the unholy trilogy of prequels, sullying his own legacy among die hards and casual fans alike. Viewers that had wanted to see all nine of the promised epic series were suddenly thinking, "Nah, I'm good". Once all that kid-friendly nonsense was done, the Trek folks turned to TV super producer J.J. Abrams and allowed him to reinvent the wheel. He made Star Trek darker and far more enjoyable than before. I await your angry barbs, Trek fans.
If this story is true, Abrams just supplanted Joss Whedon as supreme nerd god. He would have creative control over the two most storied sci-fi franchises of all time. Whedon has control over the Marvel-owned movie universe. The magnitude and sheer awesomeness of either job is debatable. Fans of their amazing yet somewhat marginal television shows have all the bragging rights now. For every Buffy, there was a Lost. For every Angel, an Alias. For every Fringe, a Firefly. For every Dollhouse, an Alcatraz. Hey, nobody's perfect. But this opportunity is gold for sci-fi nerds worldwide. Be excited, the Force lives, and it is strong in this one.
Comments