The internet was seething after learning that Colin Trevorrow is the future director of Star Wars: Episode IX . Although some commentators came to the Jurassic World director’s defense, most agreed the franchise was in trouble.
On Sunday, Disney announced Colin Trevorrow would direct the still distant Episode 9 on the Star Wars Instagram page . The film will be the last installment in the new trilogy that starts this December with J.J. Abrams at the helm.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald , the fans comments on the page summed the internet’s collective feelings about the choice.
“Well this just ruined my whole life.”
Most of the criticism against Trevorrow was centered around his most famous film, Jurassic World , some calling it the worst film of 2015. One fan explained his complaints.
“This is a bad choice. Jurassic World was terribly directed and written. It had unbearable characters, looked bland, and used CGI where it wasn’t needed. It made money but that doesn’t mean Trevorrow should be given Episode IX.”
Jurassic World made over $1.5 billion in the international box office, but only received a 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes — well under the 93 percent earned by the first film in the franchise, Jurassic Park .
Other commentators were slightly more optimistic.
One wrote, “As long as they don’t bring in the writers from Jurassic World , we should be good… I think.”
Lucasfilm’s president Kathleen Kennedy had a very different perspective, saying that Colin Trevorrow was an “incredible talent” according to the BBC .
“Colin is someone I’ve been interested in working with ever since I saw Safety Not Guaranteed . The power of that film paired with the enormous success of Jurassic World speaks volumes about his abilities both as a storyteller and skilled film-maker.”
People on Instagram also used Colin Trevorrow’s Safety Not Guaranteed and other earlier work as proof the director could handle the franchise, although most were not convinced. One wished Disney never acquired the sci-fi classic.
“Great. Disney teams up with this guy to ruin Star Wars. It would be better if Disney had nothing to do with Star Wars at all.”
As for Colin Trevorrow himself, he explained that the director’s seat was not a “job or an assignment.”
“It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, film-makers, artists and craftspeople. We’ve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all had – a mythology to call their own. We will do this by channeling something George Lucas instilled in all of us: boundless creativity, pure invention and hope.”
Fans won’t know whether that enthusiasm for the process will equate to a good movie until 2019, when Episode IX is slated for its debut.
In the meantime, Disney announced plans for the new Star Wars Land at Disneyland and Disney World. As previously reported by the Inquisitr , the 14-acre addition will feature characters and settings from throughout the Star Wars universe — and yes, it will have the Cantina.
That means whatever Colin Trevorrow’s team creates in Episode IX will likely have a permanent home in the theme parks — for better or for worse.
[Image Credit: Getty Images]