17 Directors Who Could (Or Should) Make 'Star Wars: Episode 9'

Yesterday, Star Wars: Episode 9 lost its director. Colin Trevorrow and Lucasfilm parted ways, the latest in a series of behind-the-scenes upheavals surrounding the massively popular franchise. It's not entirely clear what's going on, but between this and the firing of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from the Han Solo spin-off movie, it seems that producer Kathleen Kennedy has a very different vision for Star Wars than her collaborators.

But while we puzzle over what the heck is going on with Star Wars, we did what everyone does on the internet in a moment of pop culture crisis: we made a list. Here are 17 directors who we think could end up making Star Wars: Episode 9...and a few that should make it.

Chances of Getting the Job: Likely

JJ Abrams did a fantastic job with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but even he had some reported tension with producer Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams is proud of the film and had fun with the experience, but I've heard he's sworn off doing another one or getting stuck in another franchise. But Abrams initially swore off doing Episode 7, so you never know!. He's a proven quantity. Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, and Disney all know what they would be getting into with Abrams.

That said, the filmmaker is notorious for changing his mind well into filming and into post production. It's these "better ideas" that pop up that might make Abrams films better or worse than initially planned, depending on who you ask. There is no mistaking his touch. I'd be happy to see Abrams finish off the trilogy that he kickstarted and he's one of the more likely candidates on the list. (Peter Sciretta)

Chances of Getting the Job: Pipe Dream

Right now Brad Bird is busy preparing The Incredibles 2 for release in June of 2018, so it's unlikely that he would be available to jump on Star Wars: Episode 9 towards the end of this year or even early next year. After all, he was approached to direct Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but he didn't want to abandon Tomorrowland, which, funnily enough, led to Colin Trevorrow directing Jurassic World.

There's a chance that Brad Bird could attempt to balance both Star Wars and The Incredibles 2, but I don't think he wants to do a disservice to either movie by being spread too thin. It's just a shame that he's not more readily available, because we're still desperate for a Star Wars movie from the director of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, The Incredibles and The Iron Giant. Bird has a style that is perfect for Star Wars – his adventure a little bit of whimsy and levity – and I hope we get to see him come to a galaxy far, far away eventually. (Ethan Anderton)

Chances of Getting the Job: Possible

Though Ryan Coogler has only three films under his belt, his rapid ascension from buzz-worthy indie director to helmer of a superhero blockbuster parallels many of the directors who have been plucked out of obscurity to direct a Star Wars film.

But Coogler has proven himself to be not just skilled at maneuvering around and with nostalgia, but at using that nostalgia as a driver of socially conscious narratives. I'm talking about Creed of course, which was Coogler's first test in mainstream cinema after his acclaimed debut feature, Fruitvale Station. Like Star Wars: Episode 9, Creed was a legacy movie, and just the latest in a series of sequels that were more or less well received. It had a lot to prove — that Rocky's story could be brought in to the modern day without Rocky at the center. And it did that, 10 times over. Creed used nostalgia as a pretext for the Adonis Johnson's story and created a narrative that echoed the beats of the original Rocky without feeling like a cheap ploy. Star Wars could use someone who can toe that line.

Coogler is currently under Disney's employ with Black Panther, and could easily be transferred over to the Lucasfilm division to take over Episode IX — provided Black Panther lives up to the hype. (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Chances of Getting the Job: Likely

After receiving heaps of awards and nominations for Selma, Ava Duvernay all but disappeared from the limelight, picking and choosing her projects carefully — with the aim of not just furthering her own career, but the careers of other women and women of color. It's resulted in acclaimed television shows like Queen Sugar and documentaries like 13th, all of which increased her standing in an industry that gives female directors few options after their first big successes.

Though Duvernay turned down the chance to direct Black Panther, the director is not opposed to taking on big budget blockbusters, recently helming A Wrinkle in Time under — you guessed it — Disney. Though she has proven to be more interested in propping up other minority directors, Duvernay could very well take the chance at helming one of the most influential blockbusters in the world with a female lead. Rey has headlined the new Star Wars series since Force Awakens, but has yet to have a female director or screenwriter craft her story. DuVernay would be a great start. (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Chances of Getting the Job: Likely

While Lucasfilm initially expressed an interest in hiring unique and left-field directors to helm their Star Wars movies, the recent headlines suggest that this isn't working out. The hiring of Ron Howard to take over the troubled Han Solo movie suggests the path moving forward: steady, tried-and-true filmmakers with proven track records and a history of getting along well with producers and studios. And there are few filmmakers as well-liked and as malleable as Howard, an industry veteran known for getting things done on time and on budget.

Is Howard the most inspired or exciting choice to take on Star Wars: Episode 9? Nah. But he's the kind of guy you call in to get the job done efficiently and effectively with as little drama as possible. And while he has his fair share of duds, he's a consistent and reliable filmmaker with a habit of pleasing audiences and delivering exactly what the bosses want. If he's still up for more Star Wars, he may be exactly what Lucasfilm is looking for. (Jacob Hall)

Chances of Getting the Job: Possible

Jenkins came close to taking her career to the next level when she was hired to direct Thor: The Dark World, but even considering the unfortunate circumstances surrounding her departure from that project (she was fired and replaced by Alan Taylor), it's clear in hindsight that things ultimately worked out for the best for her. She went on to direct this year's Wonder Woman, a bona fide smash hit, and while it's looking likely that she'll return for the sequel, her deal with Warner Bros. technically isn't signed just yet.

There's a good chance the delay is simply because her reps are attempting to secure a (rightfully) larger payday for her, but if there's a chance Jenkins wants to head to a galaxy far, far away, she's proven she can play nice in a studio-driven system and deliver a blockbuster that's thrilling and fun – two qualities Disney is almost certainly looking for in their capper to this trilogy. There's also never been a female Star Wars director, and Kathy Kennedy has promised that will happen one day, so why not now? (Ben Pearson)

Chances of Getting the Job: I'd Bet Money On It

Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi won't hit theaters for a few more months, but I've heard the movie is locked and that Lucasfilm and Disney are both very happy with it. In fact, while Lucasfilm had problems and conflicts with almost every one of the Star Wars filmmakers so far, from what we've heard, it's been pretty much smooth sailing for Rian Johnson. While he is part of the new generation of directors, Rian works like the decisive, confident, and prepared filmmakers Kathleen Kennedy is used to working with. And let's not forget that he's a double threat – not just a great director, but a fantastic writer.

We've already heard that Johnson is at the top of Disney's short list for the job, and while nothing is set in stone, it seems like a no-brainer. In fact, with Last Jedi locked and loaded, the only thing that would get in Johnson's way is some finalizing of FX shots and publicity. And Johnson has even said on twitter that he would "do another Star Wars movie in a heartbeat" as he's "had the time of [his] life" making Last Jedi. (Peter Sciretta)

Possibility of Getting the Job: Possible

Though director Joe Johnston is better known today for directing movies like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, The Rocketeer and Captain America: The First Avenger, his early career saw him working for Lucasfilm in the visual effects department on movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and every single installment of the original Star Wars trilogy. Combine that with his blockbuster directing experience over the years and his status as a veteran who would have no problem taking orders from Kathleen Kennedy.

On an interesting note, Joe Johnston used to have a Twitter account, but it seems to have recently disappeared. Could that just be a coincidence, or has he left social media because he's preparing to take over Star Wars: Episode 9 and doesn't need the distraction or the incessant meddling of fans tagging him with questions that he can't possibly answer? It's probably just a coincidence, but the timing is certainly suspect. (Ethan Anderton)

Chances of Getting the Job: Possible

With four increasingly insane Fast & Furious movies under his belt, it's obvious that Justin Lin can handle just about any blockbuster challenge that's thrown his way. And I thought he delivered a solid sci-fi sequel in Star Trek Beyond despite very little prep time (he stepped into the director's chair late on that movie). Will he become the second director, following J.J. Abrams, to jump from the Star Trek to Star Wars?

Like many of the candidates on this list, Lin has a proven track record of creating high-quality products in franchise-driven models of filmmaking. It's become blindingly obvious that Lucasfilm isn't interested in auteur-driven projects, and Lin is one of those guys who has the skills to lead a gargantuan production like this while injecting it with just enough of his personality for us to notice it, but not enough to make the studio balk. That sounds like I'm damning him with faint praise, but in today's landscape, it's a talent that makes him one of the most useful directors working today. (Ben Pearson)

Chances of Getting the Job: Likely

The way I've heard it, the only reason Kasdan didn't slide into the director's chair on the young Han Solo movie was because of Directors Guild of America rules that prevent producers from replacing their own directors on a project. But he seems like an extremely likely choice to direct a Star Wars movie one of these days, because he's been at the core of Lucasfilm ever since his legendary one-two punch of his first two produced screenplays: The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Aside from some of the below the line talent and George Lucas himself, Kasdan is probably the person who has shaped the Star Wars universe the most. He wrote Empire, Return of the Jedi, Shadows of the Empire, The Force Awakens, and the Han Solo spin-off. His directorial efforts aren't always as memorable, but these films don't necessarily need to have a memorable director at the helm. I'm guessing Lucasfilm would prefer if we never knew who directed any of these movies at all – a Star Wars movie is a Disney/Lucasfilm product, and that may be all that matters to them in the long run. Kasdan's long history and "company man" status means that he's one of the few people who knows exactly what Kennedy wants, and those two are far more likely to be on the same page than any of the other choices listed here. (Ben Pearson)

Chances of Getting the Job: Pipe Dream

On one level, Michelle MacLaren is a perfect fit for the Star Wars: Episode 9 gig. After all, she's an experienced director who has had a hand in some of the most popular geek properties around. There's only one issue: she's never directed a feature film. While she was briefly attached to direct Wonder Woman for Warner Bros., her career so far has consisted entirely of television shows.

But what television shows! MacLaren has helmed hours of Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Westworld, The Leftovers, Better Call Saul, The X-Files, The Deuce, and, uh, Modern Family? Let's call her what she is: endlessly talented and uniquely versatile. If Lucasfilm wanted to take a chance on a director with no feature credits but a pedigree that makes her perfect to tackle a Star Wars film, they should look to MacLaren. But in the wake of everything that's happened to recent Star Wars projects, they'll probably go after a more "proven" talent. Their loss. (Jacob Hall)

Chances of Getting the Job: Pipe Dream...but maybe Possible?

Matt Reeves is coming off finishing his surprisingly great Planet of the Apes prequel trilogy with the highly emotional and magnificent War for the Planet of the Apes. Not only is this one of the best film franchises in recent memory, but it's evidence that Matt Reeves knows how to deliver a powerful blockbuster that has excitement and substance. The only problem is that he's currently attached to direct The Batman for Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment, continuing Ben Affleck's run as Batman in the DC Extended Universe, and it's unlikely that he'd be available.

Then again, with all the rumors swirling about the possibility of Ben Affleck leaving the role of Batman after Justice League, there's always a chance that The Batman isn't moving forward anytime soon, giving Reeves the window he needs to be available for Star Wars: Episode 9. It's not a safe bet, but if there's one director who can make the final chapter of this new Star Wars trilogy work, it's Matt Reeves. (Ethan Anderton)

Chances of Getting the Job: Possible

The French-Canadian director had made his name with meditative, gritty films that explore the brutality and potential of humanity — heady stuff that could have trouble being synthesized into a blockbuster. His character work in Prisoners and Sicario may seem too nihilistic for a family-friendly franchise like Star Wars, but the similarly inclined Rian Johnson went on from directing the brooding Looper to Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Denis Villeneuve has taken steps toward approaching the sci-fi genre with his particular cerebral angle, directing last year's cathartic Arrival. (Arrival should have been a game-changer for sci-fi films with its narrative deployment of the Kuleshov Effect and its musings on humanity, but that's another argument altogether.) And Villeneuve will be going the nostalgia route with a different lega-sequel, Blade Runner 2049 starring former Star Wars star, Harrison Ford. Could Ford get him the Star Wars Episode 9 job with Kathleen Kennedy? It could happen — especially with Blade Runner starting to pick up positive buzz. (Hoai-Tran Bui)

Chances of Getting the Job: Pipe Dream

This will never happen. Ever. Never, ever, ever. But in a weird way, Steven Spielberg represents the pinnacle of what Lucasfilm probably wants in a Star Wars director at this time. A tried and true veteran with crowd-pleasing instincts who has decades of experiencing making blockbusters for massive studios. Spielberg is a brilliant filmmaker, but he's also a top-notch leader and bureaucrat. If anyone can navigate the red tape of making a Star Wars movie and deliver something extraordinary, it's him.

But Spielberg is in the "I do what I want, when I want" phase of his long and storied career and his schedule is absolutely jam-packed for the foreseeable future. Still, it's worth noting that he's lifelong friends with George Lucas and even briefly flirted with directing Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace back in the day. Plus, he's only the greatest mainstream filmmaker in the history of Hollywood. And what's the point of internet lists if we can't dream a little? (Jacob Hall)

Chances of Getting the Job: Pipe Dream

Why not? Why not hire the directors behind brilliant science fiction movies like The Matrix? Why not hire the directors behind unsung masterpieces and ambitious projects like Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas? Why not hire the directors Jupiter Ascending, a messy misfire that has more imagination in a single frame than most space operas can muster in their entire running time? And why not shatter the ceiling above the glass ceiling and let two trans filmmakers take on a universe filled with infinite opportunities? Why not? (Jacob Hall)

Chances of Getting the Job: Pipe Dream

Since Kathleen Kennedy hasn't had much luck with recently experienced filmmakers on the rise (Gareth Edwards, Phil Lord & Chris Miller, Colin Trevorrow), she may not be keen on bringing Taika Waititi into the fray. But with the filmmaker doing outstanding work on Thor: Ragnarok (from what we've heard and seen), it would stand to reason that he's in a decent position to at least be considered, especially with Marvel Studios being under the Disney banner along with Lucasfilm. Though the filmmaker doesn't necessarily think that's the case:

I'd be fired within a week.

— Taika Waititi (@TaikaWaititi) September 6, 2017

Taika Waititi has unique comedic sensibilities that he's bringing to Thor: Ragnarok, and since that's where Kathleen Kennedy clashed with Phil Lord & Chris Miller, that might make his involvement less likely. But with some more experience under his belt, I think Taika Waititi may prove to be a fine director for Star Wars at some point. (Ethan Anderton)

Chances of Getting the Job: Possible

Edgar Wright has not yet done a huge film with a blockbuster-sized budget, and that might be the only thing keeping him from consideration, as we've heard that Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm are done hiring filmmakers without big film experience. That said, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall were both seen at screenings of Edgar's recent film Baby Driver, praising the movie during a post screening Q&A.

Wright has proven himself to be a very prepared director who sometimes over-storyboards and over-plans his films – something necessary for this kind of mega blockbuster film. He, like Rian Johnson, is a double threat – his scripts are as good as his direction. The filmmaker has hinted that he has something crazy in the works that will be announced at the end of the year, but it's not Star Wars-related. He has also said that he would not have taken the Han Solo director job as he's been in a similar situation when Marvel replaced him on Ant-Man. Is this a similar situation? Would Disney be willing to give Wright the creative control he would require? (Peter Sciretta)