It seems like it's been awhile since we've seen a magical Steven Spielberg-type Amblin kids film. But today we have our first look at his new film, The BFG, and it's filled with that classic Spielberg vibe. The teaser trailer was released by Disney, and it looks like an incredibly wonderful film. I've been a fan of Spielberg's work for a very long time, and I'm really excited to see this new film of his. The trailer does a great job of setting the movie for this fantastical adventure story. Here's the full synopsis for the film, which is based on the classic Roald Dahl book:

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country.

The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle. Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams.

Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows, but Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome. Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see Queen Victoria (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.

The BFG arrives in theaters on July 1st, 2016. Watch the trailer and let us know what you think of it!

"There's no way it's going to be a disappointment."

When Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was about to be released in theaters, fans were overcome with excitement! I was! I couldn't wait to see the movie, and I even spent a few days in line to get in to see it. Ultimately, I walked out of the theater overcome with complete and utter disappointment. 

I've got a funny video for you to watch below that was sent in to me by a friend. The video was posted by Funny Local News Bloopers, and it shows interviews withfans who were waiting to get into see The Phantom Menace being interviewed. They are overwhelmed with excitement, just like we are now as we wait for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to open in theaters. We're expecting a much better outcome, though!

One of the crazier things about this video is the interviews that were conducted with fans after they watched the movie. So many of them actually liked the movie! After I saw it, there was nothing but grumbling and complaints, but here we see a bunch of Star Wars fans who actually enjoyed the movie that so many of us think is terrible. 

Ang Lee has been working on developing a 3D film based around the historic boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier that is known as the Thrilla In Manila. The project was originally set up at Universal Pictures after he won the Best Director Oscar for his work on Life of Pi. The film's development ended up falling apart, but now it’s making a comeback! 

The film will offer audiences an "epic look at the boxing world of the 1960s and 1970s, as seen through the prism of its biggest rivalries and greatest fights.” The film will also put the focus on other boxers from that era, such as George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Robert Duran, and Sugar Ray Leonard.

According to the Deadline, Lee is scouting locations and is looking for this film to be his next project. He just finished shooting the big screen adaptation of the novel Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk for Sony Pictures. He shot the film in 120 frames per second, as well as in 3D.

Lee is pushing the boundaries of filmmaking technology, and he’s looking to continue doing that with this boxing movie. Peter Morgan (Rush) wrote the initial script for the film, and the project is set up at Studio 8 where Jeff Robinov will produce the project. 

This could end up being an amazing filmgoing experience. I'm looking forward to seeing how exactly he takes audiences into the boxing ring with this filmmaking technology, and how he brings these boxing legends to life. This could be just as awesome an experience as Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk was. I think that’s hands down the best 3D film ever made so far.

There has been a fair deal of worry about Overwatch following the dreaded MOBA approach to character releases. While games like League of Legends and DOTA allow you to play for free and unlock champions with either in... View Full Post on GameTyrant

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We've got some more Star Wars: The Force Awakens goodies for you to check out! We're only nine days away from the film's opening in theaters, and this stuff should feed your Star Wars addiction for the day. As you can see above, BB-8 got its very own character poster, and below, you'll find a new TV spot with a tiny bit of new footage, as well as six new photos from the film. To catch up on all of the previous Star Wars: The Force Awakens news that we've posted, click here. There's so much being posted these days that there's a chance you may have missed something. 

Via: Star Wars Junk,

For those that don't know (because I didn't), Justin Theroux is responsible for the script for Zoolander 2. Now that you've let that news absorb into your body, you can now see why he is such an opinionated man when it comes to fans complaining about one of my personal highlights of the trailer, Benedict Cumberbatch's "All." While a petition actively sits on the internet with over 20k signatures asking for the character's removal from the film, Theroux is pissed and hurt. He shares his thoughts with The Wrap...

"I don’t even know what to make of it, because it hurts my feelings in a way. I take great care in the jokes I write, and the umbrage being taken is out of the context of the scene. I wish people would see the movie first. Satire is a thing that points out the idiots...I’m all for letting words be ugly when the target is correct...our target is not, and never was, to disenfranchise anyone."

I can't see who can disagree with that. I'm not transgender, but even if I were I would not think the character "All" is a joke at my expense. It's a jab about the androgynous models of the world we all have known and seen! I would be very disappointed if studios begin to cut scenes of the film to cater to the peanut gallery on this one...what about you?

Conan the Buccaneer

Frank Frazetta is one of the best artists that has ever lived. His fantasy art is simply incredible. I was introduced to his art when I was a little kid going through my uncle's old books and comics collection. His stuff was just so cool, and it popped.

There is a huge collection of his work, including sketches, drawings, and watercolor paintings, that will be going up for sale. There’s a lot of art in this collection that I’ve never seen before, and seeing these gives me even more of an appreciation for Frazetta's talent.

The art is being auctioned off by Frazetta’s best friend Doc Dave Winiewicz. That auction will take place on Friday at 11 AM PST with Profiles in History. In an interview with io9, Winiewicz said:

“The thing that separates my collection from a lot of others is that I concentrated on drawings. Because I considered Frazetta to be the greatest draughtsman who ever lived.”

He went on to say, “Some of the sketches are just sketches, that he did out of the love of sketching,” and the collection also offers a wide range of “all the different aspects of Frazetta’s career.” When talking about his Frazetta’s craft Winiewicz said:

“This guy would sit down and create out of his imagination. 95 percent of his work that he produced was an imaginative work, it wasn’t photoreference… Just about every piece in my catalog is a piece by Frazetta that came out of his imagination, that wasn’t derivative in any way.”

That’s incredible! I didn’t realize that. It was also revealed in the interview that Frazetta created his most famous character, the Death Dealer, because “people were starting to circulate a rumor that he had lost it, that he hadn’t produced a great image in a long time.” Yeah, I don't think the guy ever lost anything. That character, along with the Snow Warriors, has become one of his most iconic images.

Make sure to head on over to io9 to read the rest of the interview, but below you will find an insane collection of beautiful art that you have to see! Some of the art near the bottom is NSFW.

Conan and the Savage Sea

Mastermind of Mars—Girl with Dagger

Lord of the Savage Jungle

Lord of the Rings—The Black Nazgul

Tarzan and the Castaways cover art

Death Dealer and Snow Queen

Death Dealer and Snow Queen

At the Earth’s Core

The Rescue

Tarzan and the Golden Lion

Tarzan at the Earth’s Core

Kubla Khan

At Earth’s Core

Flash Gordon Battles the Monster from Mongo

Tarzan the Invincible

The Lion Queen

Lord of the Jungle (Master of Adventure cover)

Flash Gordon and the Princess of Mongo

Funeral Pyre with Nude

A Gentle Breeze

Windblown

The Encounter: spaceship and fairy-creature

Tarzan at the Earth’s Core cover art

Lion Queen (colored pencil)

In news that in all likelihood would not make our site had it not been for the ridiculousness of the news, fans are pissed about the live action version of The Little Mermaid. Uproxx has revealed that leading lady Chloe Moretz (Kickass) will NOT be dyeing her hair red to become Ariel. I'm not gonna lie, as a red head I'm steamed about the whole deal. Like, I didn't even care about this movie prior to this news, and if someone as disconnected as I can be miffed, then fans are likely gonna be PISSED. Go ahead, click on Twitter and see the response...

^That terrible video has over 4 million views.

While there are many who love their gingers, it's worth noting Ariel was blonde in the original story before Disney...who has nothing to do with this production whatsoever. It's also worth mentioning that in the original story before Disney, Ariel's legs were in constant pain, and Eric married another woman. Just because it was the original doesn't always mean it was better! Take notes on that, Moretz!

This past weekend, I learned that there were a bunch of hardcore Star Wars fans already waiting in line to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. I didn't understand the reasoning behind it at first because of reserved seating. Why wait in line for 12 days when you could have just bought yourself a reserved seat and show up 10 minutes before the movie started? 

I have a few friends who are waiting in that line, and they explained to me that the whole thing was set up through Liningup.net. The organization teamed up with the Starlight Children's Foundation, and they are raising money through their website during the time that people are camping out in front of the theater, where the group of fans continues to grow. 

On top of that, they are also looking to recreate the classic line experience for the Star Wars films. I've spent my fair share of time waiting in line for the Star Wars prequels and re-release films. Their website explains:

"We want to recreate the classic line experience of legions of fans, lined up for days, gathering in force to celebrate the next piece of cinematic history. We can't wait to capture lightning in a bottle again on the streets of Hollywood."

And on top of all that, the people who are standing in line are also still looking to get tickets to see the film on opening day! The organization reserved 576 seats in the theater. To get one of those tickets, fans have to register through Liningup.net and according to my friends, those people have to stand in line for a total of 24 hours. They don't have to stand in line that long at once — that time can be accumulated over the course of two weeks, which started on December 5th. At that point, they will be eligible to purchase a maximum of 2 tickets per person.

The longer these fans stand in line, the better chances they have of getting to choose better seats in the theater. So the people who clock in the most hours will have the first choice of seats in the theater. These guys are definitely earning their place into the screening! Of course, tickets aren't guaranteed and could sell out, which is why people got in line so early. 

If you aren't able to join the group, you can donate $5 to Starlight by texting "Jedi" or "Sith" to 80000 or online at GIVEactually. I think this is pretty awesome that Star Wars fans are keeping the tradition alive and that it's all for a good cause. 

I've included a couple of new reports below for you to watch if you want to meet the people who are standing in line. 

George Clooney's directing career has seen its share of hits and misses, but his next directorial effort definitely sounds like a slam dunk. It's a movie called Suburbicon, and it's written by Joel and Ethan Coen. The plot details are still a mystery, but it's being described as a noir drama in the vein of the Coens' own Blood Simple that's set in the 1950s. Now Deadline reports that the film is gathering a cast, and it's full of veteran actors who I'd love to see in a period piece like this.

Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Julianne Moore are all in talks to star, and I suppose securing a cast as talented as this is one of the many benefits of being George Clooney. This film is still a long way off — production starts in October 2016 — but I wouldn't be surprised to see it on some "Best of 2017" year-end lists in two years around this time. But while we wait for it to get underway, we'll see at least four of the people involved with this film collaborate on next year's Hail, Caesar!, the Coen Brothers' new movie that stars Clooney and Brolin.

Marvel's Jessica Jones has received almost universal acclaim from critics and fans alike, and though I still haven't had time to catch up with it myself, the overwhelming majority of people I've spoken to about it absolutely love the show. It's on my list of things to watch, but if you watch a ton of TV, you can probably empathize with me as to why I haven't had time to see it yet: there's just too much out there already, and much more on the way.

In any case, here's a breakdown of some of the visual effects seen in Jessica Jones, brought to my attention by LaughingSquid. While we wait to find out when a potential second season might arrive, read up on the upcoming Daredevil season 2 and the newly-announced showrunner for Iron Fist.

One of the things that I liked about Marvel's Ant-Man was that it was just as much of a heist film as it was a superhero film. They are going to be switching things up for the sequel, though. In an interview with CBR, director Peyton Reed spoke about his plans for Ant-Man and the Wasp and revealed that it's going to have a very different genre template than the first one.

"I think there's probably going to be some aspects that maybe call back to the tone of this movie, but for 'Ant-Man and the Wasp,' we have an entirely different template. We know what that template is, and we have an entirely different genre template for that movie. But it's going to remain a surprise. But yes, that's already been decided."

I'm curious to know what exactly this different genre template will be. I wish they weren't so damn secretive about that little detail! Adam McKay has expressed interest in coming back to work on the franchise, and when asked if he would be back, Reed said the following: 

"Well, definitely, Paul [Rudd], and we’ve got [Andrew] Barrer and [Gabriel] Ferrari, who were not credited on the movie, but they’re our production writers, they’re coming back. And Adam’s going to come back in some capacity. A lot of it has to do with his schedule on [his new movie] The Big Short, because he’s promoting that movie and is probably, I would think, well into the Oscar season... We talked about Ant-Man, and he’s psyched to come back. We want him back. It’s going to be a scheduling thing."

Well, McKay seems like he's ready to go! In a separate recent interview with JoBlo, the writer/director was asked if he would want to work on the sequel and this was his reply:

"Oh absolutely. I was weaned on Marvel as a little kid so I’d do anything for Marvel. I know they’re talking about ANT-MAN 2 so I let Feige and Paul Rudd know, I’m on deck man, gimme the call because I had so much fun doing the first one."

So it looks like they'll end up working something out. The writing process will star in January, and Reed is excited to get to work on it. He went on to talk about the opportunity he has to play with The Wasp in the sequel:

"I'm excited just for Evangeline [Lily] to actually suit up and become a hero in the movie. I'm also excited about the idea that Ant-Man and the Wasp were a partnership throughout the history of Marvel Comics. It's a different dynamic than we've seen in the rest of the Marvel movies, an actual partnership. You've got Captain America and the Falcon, obviously. But this is a thing that in the comics was a romantic partnership and a heroic partnership, so it's going to be fun to play around with that and discover what the movie version of that is.

"I feel like we've set up a pretty complicated character in Hope van Dyne in the first movie. It's going to be fun to see how that plays out in the second movie, and continue that exploration of the family dynamics between Scott Lang and his family, but also, between Hank Pym and Hope and possibly even Janet. So that's exciting."

The director previously said that this sequel is going to be a lot weirder than the original movie. That could mean so many things, but during the interview, he was asked about the multiple-identity aspect of Ant-Man's history, such as his incarnations as Giant-Man, Goliath, etc. and if that intrigues him on a story level.

"Yeah, I mean, it’s such a crucial part of his character in the comics. I think to ignore that would be crazy, because there’s a lot of rich stuff. Not only with the different sort of super heroic identities that he had in the comics, but just his psychology. We do set up in the movie that when Scott says to him, ‘Why don’t you just put on the suit?’ He’s like, ‘I can’t. I did it for a long time, and it took a toll on me.’ It’s like, ‘Well, what does that mean, exactly?’ I think there are a lot of things that we’re going to explore in the next one that will explain a lot of that stuff."

I imagine a lot of things that they explore in this regard are definitely going to take the film to a weirder level. Ant-Man and the Wasp opens in theaters July 6th, 2018. I'm excited to see where they take these characters next!

I'm not much of a sports guy. I'm sure that goes for most readers of our site. I think out of all the sports that have ever been sported, golf may be just about my least favorite. The only things I like associated with golf are zipping... View Full Post on GameTyrant

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Thanks to Jeremy Renner, we have a photo from the set of Captain America: Civil War featuring himself as Hawkeye with Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch. I think this actually might be our best look yet at the Scarlet Witch costume that Olsen will be wearing in the film. I like it! She looks great in this role. It'll be fun watching her kick some ass.

I've also included an image below of our first look at Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man in the film with Steve Rogers. This is actually a shot from the footage fans were shown at the D23 Expo earlier this year. You can read a description of that footage here.

Captain America: Civil War is set to be released on May 6th, 2016.

First look at Scott Lang in CIVIL WAR! pic.twitter.com/RE3oStYZFA

— Film Hype (@FilmHyp) December 8, 2015

Christopher McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation was a fun spy thriller that got a lot of attention for Tom Cruise's death-defying stunt work, but it also earned praise for introducing most American audiences to Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson, who played the mysterious Ilsa Faust and convincingly held her own against one of the world's biggest movie stars. When McQuarrie was officially hired to come back for Mission: Impossible 6, there were some rumblings that Ferguson may also return, and now, according to Showbiz411, her contract is "signed, sealed, and delivered."

Ferguson will be the first female protagonist to have a major role in multiple movies in the M:I franchise. Ethan Hunt's wife, played by Michelle Monaghan in both M:I 3, appeared in a cameo in Ghost Protocol, and actresses like Thandie Newton, Paula Patton, Keri Russell, and Maggie Q were all one and done. It's fitting that she's making franchise history, because she'll be doing so alongside McQuarrie, who is reportedly coming back to direct for the second time in a row; he'll be the first returning director of the franchise.

While we wait for the next Mission to unfold, Ferguson will be seen in the highly-anticipated The Girl on the Train, and opposite Michael Fassbender twice in The Snowman and in Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Bill Nye the Science Guy weighs in on the debate fans have been having for decades: Star Wars or Star Trek? If you know anything about Bill Nye (even his nickname, which I've already written above), you'll probably be able to guess which film series he prefers. Looking at it from his perspective, I can see why he chooses the one he does, but there are obviously counter-arguments that can be made to support the other side.

Sound off in the comments below with your own thoughts about which franchise you prefer and why.

Via: LaughingSquid

Before Disney bought Lucasfilm and took over the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas had two major projects in development. One was a TV drama called Star Wars: Underworld and the other was a video game called Star Wars 1313. Many fans assumed these projects were dead, but as it turns out, Lucasfilm is very much looking at still developing those!

The news comes from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy who was asked about the Star Wars: Underworld project by /Film during a press event. This is what Kennedy told them:

"Interestingly enough, that's an area we’ve spent a lot of time, reading through the material that he developed is something we very much would like to explore. And there was 1313 the game, where there was…unbelievable. So our attitude is, we don’t want to throw any of that stuff away. It’s gold. And it’s something we’re spending a lot of time looking at, pouring through, discussing, and we may very well develop those things further. We definitely want to."

This is extremely exciting to hear because I was pumped up about seeing both of these come to life. Lucas was working on Star Wars: Underworld for years! He wanted it to be a 400 episode series, and before the project was put on hold, he reportedly already had 100 completed scripts.

The series was to be set in the Coruscant underworld between Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope. It was going to be a gangster drama that was likened to Deadwood and The Godfather in space. It was also described as being The Empire Strikes Back on steroids. Lucasfilm producer Rick McCallum previously discussed the project:

Basically, it is like The Godfather; it’s the Empire slowly building up its power base around the galaxy, what happens in Coruscant, which is the major capital, and it’s a group of underground bosses who live there and control drugs, prostitution.

There was also a rumor that the show would have involved time travel and killing Darth Vader. That report offered the following info:

One of the series' first episodes will involve a group of bandits acquiring the capability of time travel, and using it to travel back in time to stop Darth Vader from ever existing.  

Crazy, right? This show would have been a very dark and gritty adult-style series. It was inspired by the noir films of the 1940s. It's awesome to know that Lucasfilm might actually make it a reality one day. They'd be crazy if they don't! Maybe it's one of those shows that they'd take to Netflix.

Then there's the Star Wars 1313 game that everyone was waiting for! That thing would have been incredible! In the game, players would take on the role of a bounty hunter in the underworld city of Level 1313. There were rumors that the game would offer details on the early years of Boba Fett. Here's the official description of the game just in case you need a reminder:

As players take control of a lethal bounty hunter in a never-before-seen dark and mature world, Star Wars 1313 introduces an integrated development approach by bringing together great artists across the Lucasfilm organization, including LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. and Skywalker Sound. A third person cinematic action adventure game, Star Wars 1313 will bring to life the Coruscant underworld, the most dangerous place in the Star Wars™ galaxy.

Named for Level 1313, a ruthless criminal underground deep below the surface of the planet of Coruscant, the game puts players in control of a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy.  Star Wars 1313 emphasizes epic set pieces and fast-paced combat with a hero who uses human skills and gadgets, rather than supernatural Force powers, to make his way through this dangerous world. 

It's awesome to hear that these to project that fans were excited about seeing aren't dead. There's obviously still a good chance that they could happen! Hopefully, one day, they actually take it to the next level of development.

Some movie fans (myself included) often go out of their way to avoid spoilers for highly-anticipated blockbuster movies, but you wouldn't normally associate that behavior with an actor who actually appears in that movie. Tom Holland is the exception to the rule. The young actor has been cast as the new Spider-Man, and before he leads his own solo film for Sony Pictures, his version of the character will make his onscreen debut in Captain America: Civil War next summer. But here's the thing: even though he's in the movie, he doesn't know what it's about.

In an interview with EW's Sirius XM radio show that will air on December 14th, Holland says he chose to avoid spoilers for his own movie, and for a pretty good reason:

“I don’t even know what Civil War is about. I was only working on it for a week or two weeks or something. So they offered for me to read the script, and I said ‘No, I don’t want to read it, because I’ll be doing all these interviews and I’ll end up telling secrets and stuff. I’ve got such a big mouth.’ So I actually don’t know what it’s about. I’m going to watch this film as an audience member, rather than someone who is in it. I’ll be like, ‘I wonder what my bits are about?’”

As /Film reminded me, actor Asa Butterfield was rumored to have blown his opportunity to play the part because he talked too much about it on the internet, so Holland's opposing method, though perhaps a little extreme, at least proves that he won't be able to get in trouble for revealing too much.

Holland also spoke about auditioning for the part, and being brought in to read with Robert Downey Jr:

“It was so intimidating. But the thing was, I walked into the room on this soundstage, and they had this little set, and Robert took me aside and said, ‘Listen, I remember my screen test for Iron Man. I remember how terrified I was. Just think of it as an audition. It’s nothing too scary. If you get it wrong, we’ll just start again. No pressure.’ But that kind of raised the pressure a little bit for me. But he was great and super supportive, and because he said he’d been there and had been in the same situation, it made me relax a little bit.”

I can't even imagine the nerves one might experience while reading opposite a mega-star like Downey as you try to prove that you belong alongside him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Holland locked it down, and I'm interested to see how his take on the web-slinger differs from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's when first see him pop up in Captain America: Civil War on May 6th, 2016.

When Carrie Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd was cast in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, rumors flew that she'd be playing a young Princess Leia in some kind of flashback. But even though that doesn't appear to be the case, and though Lourd claims she's not playing Leia's daughter, either, her character is rocking that iconic bun hairstyle that is so instantly identifiable as belonging to the princess of Alderaan (RIP, Alderaan).

People Magazine debuted the photo above, and included one of Lourd's character interacting with a droid named PZ-4CO:

If you're looking for proof beyond a doubt that Lourd is not playing a younger version of Leia, check out this pic (thanks to ScreenCrush) that shows them in the same image at the same time:

So there you have it. We don't know who she is (likely not a major character), but she won't be a younger version of her mother's iconic Star Wars hero.

The Force Awakens hits theaters the night of December 17th.

Last week, word came out that four female directors and three female writers had secured meetings to possibly board upcoming Star Wars movies. We aren't one hundred percent sure who those ladies are (though I had some guesses in my original piece), but The Force Awakens writer/director J.J. Abrams has his own suggestion for who he thinks would be a great fit: Selma director Ava DuVernay.

Abrams told Yahoo:

"One name that immediately comes to mind is Ava DuVernay, who I thought did just a mind-blowingly great job with 'Selma.' And in getting to know her a little since that movie, I'm such a fan, she is such a fan of genre films and storytelling that my instinct is, while there are so many other names that would also be great, she is my knee-jerk reaction. Because she loves the world so much, loves this genre, and is such a talented storyteller. So if I had a say in any of this, which I don't, I would give her whatever she wants."

DuVernay famously turned down the chance to work on Marvel's Black Panther because she was smart enough to anticipate that her directing style may clash with the producer-driven mentality of Kevin Feige, but if the cultures are different enough at Marvel and Lucasfilm, it'd be cool for her to put her own spin on a Star Wars film. This is just a guess on my part, but I can imagine Kathleen Kennedy might be more interested in sort of letting DuVernay do her own thing with one of the spin-off movies outside of the main storyline rather than one of the main "Episodes," but we'll have to see what happens and if DuVernay is even interested at all.

Do you agree with Abrams? Would you like to see an Ava DuVernay-directed Star Wars movie?