An hour or so ago it was reported that HE’s own Rian Johnson is in talks to write and direct Stars Wars, Episode VIII. My first thought was “Jesus…now I’m going to have to refer to him as Rian ‘Paycheck’ Johnson.” But my second thought was that I now see a kind of scheme to the Star Wars reboots. If Super 8 is any kind of template JJ Abrams will probably inject a Spielbergian tone into Episode VII, but Johnson, I’m thinking, will probably go a little loopier with Episode VIII….no? Abrams for the dazzle and the heart, Johnson for the somewhat more cerebral fantasy-head-trip stuff. Obvious hire for the direction and writing of Episode IX: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes helmer Matt Reeves.
