When it was announced J.J. Abrams will direct the next "Star Wars," the news — for the most part — was met with positive reception.
After all, the future of the franchise would be in the hands of someone known to be a big "Star Wars" fan and who was no stranger to sci-fi. However, the news was also unexpected.
Just last year, Abrams confidently told both Entertainment Weekly and Empire magazine he wanted nothing to do with the franchise.
"I wouldn’t even want to be involved in the next version of those things,” Abrams told Empire. “I declined any involvement very early on."
So, what changed his mind? In the upcoming May issue of Playboy, Abrams reveals what occurred to change his mind about directing one of the most beloved franchises in Hollywood—and, it wasn't solely his secret meeting with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy.
"It was a wild time. I was near the light at the end of the tunnel with my work on Star Trek. I felt I needed a bit of a breather, actually. But then Kathleen Kennedy [the new Lucasfilm head who oversees Star Wars] called again. I’ve known her for years. We had a great conversation, and the idea of working with her on this suddenly went from being theoretical and easy to deny to being a real, tangible, thrilling possibility. In the end it was my wife, Katie, who said if it was something that really interested me, I had to consider it."
If it weren't for Abram's wife, we'd have someone different at the helm of the "Star Wars" franchise.
And, don't worry "Trek" fans, despite his heavy workload Abrams told Playboy there's still a chance he may return to direct the next "Star Trek."
"I would say it’s a possibility," said Abrams.""We’re trying to figure out the next step. But it’s like anything: It all begins with the story."
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