Director Colin Trevorrow has been announced as the man at the helm of Star Wars: Episode IX , the third installment in the upcoming sequel trilogy.
Trevorrow’s seat in the director’s chair was announced today at Disney’s D23 expo, which took place in Anaheim, California. Trevorrow was previously rumored to be attached to the picture, as the Verge notes, but his involvement has now been confirmed. The news comes after Trevorrow’s first blockbuster , Jurassic World , became one of the top-grossing movies of all time, as the Inquisitr previously reported.
Star Wars Episode IX will be directed by Jurassic World’s Colin Trevorrow http://t.co/pEcELMwLFv pic.twitter.com/i6hdzjm8Z8
— The Verge (@verge) August 15, 2015
In a statement released after the news was revealed, Trevorrow acknowledged the gravity of the position, which will see him bring the highly anticipated third Star Wars trilogy to a close.
“This is not a job or an assignment. It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, filmmakers, 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.”
OFFICIAL: Colin Trevorrow To Direct Star Wars: Episode IX http://t.co/zkk4BsPnXV pic.twitter.com/cdTgk9POmc
— Heroic Hollywood (@heroichollywood) August 15, 2015
As Io9 notes, production on the as-yet-unwritten Star Wars film isn’t set to begin for several years. Despite that fact, Trevorrow will begin working with Lucasfilm in this coming year, setting the groundwork for the conclusion of the new trilogy. According to Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, Trevorrow’s previous track record positions him uniquely to handle such a monumental part of the Star Wars universe.
“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 filmmaker. We are thrilled to have such an incredible talent as Colin join our family and step into the Star Wars universe.”
Colin Trevorrow Confirmed As The Director Of ‘Star Wars: Episode IX,’ Film Due In 2019 http://t.co/BslZlRAqcI pic.twitter.com/X3PZRLlNkn
— ThePlaylist (@ThePlaylist) August 15, 2015
While Trevorrow will be well-ensconced in the world of Star Wars , he will reportedly remain involved in the as-yet-unnamed Jurassic World sequel as well. Though he has publicly stated that he has no intention of directing the movie, Trevorrow is set to have a major hand in its writing.
With Colin Trevorrow at the helm, Star Wars: Episode IX is set for release in 2019, when it will conclude the trilogy that begins with The Force Awakens this December.
[Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images]