So it’s official: Jj Abrams will be the man directing the new series of Star Wars films, the first to be made by Disney in the wake of its $4 billion takeover of the world famous sci-fi franchise – but there’s one man who won’t be feeling bitter about getting the job: Guillermo Del Toro. And that’s because he didn’t want it anyway. Honest.
In fairness to the man, he has involvement with The Hobbit trilogy, and has new film Pacific Rim out in 2013, not to mention three films on the go for 2014. It’s a busy schedule, and he said as much himself when telling USA Today that he’d been approached for the Star Wars director’s job. Del Toro told the paper, “There was a phone call to say we needed to sit down and talk and I just said 'I am busy, I am doing a lot of stuff.’” He added “I personally don’t think I’m the right guy … the franchise is a jewel, it’s a diamond. I’m a fan but it’s some place I like visiting, it’s not a place where I think I should live.’”
We can understand Del Toro’s sentiments at the end of that speech; the pressure to make a successful trilogy will be huge on Abrams – though commercially solid, the critical misfires that were the last trilogy of Star Wars films - the prequels The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith - was a big task too, with none of the three ageing well. Abrams will be a happy man today, but he’ll also be fully aware of the scale of the task on his plate.
Check out the trailer for Guillermo Del Toro's new film Pacific Rim
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