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Star Wars fan launches a petition to remove JJ Abrams as director of Episode IX

Criticism: Director JJ Abrams: Christopher Jue/Getty
Criticism: Director JJ Abrams: Christopher Jue/Getty

A disgruntled Star Wars fan has launched a petition calling for J.J. Abrams to stand down as director of Episode IX, days after he was appointed.

Abrams directed 2015 sequel The Force Awakens which became the fastest film to gross $1 billion, and out-stripped James Cameron’s Avatar to become the highest-grossing film of all time in the US.

But despite its success, Star Wars fan Matt Vela has argued that under Abrams direction the upcoming film will no longer “promote a fresh new vision”.

Vela branded The Force Awakens a “rehash of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” and argued there was “virtually no creativity, and no risks taken”.

Pulled out: Colin Trevorrow was meant to be directing (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Pulled out: Colin Trevorrow was meant to be directing (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

The petition, which has amassed more than 1,800 signatures, reads: “Star Wars fans abroad were upset with the result of J.J. Abrams' directing of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

“Although not reflected in the box office sales, most fans agree that Abrams' vision for Episode VII resulted in a rehash of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. There was virtually no creativity, and no risks taken. Such complacency cannot be the trajectory of this sequel trilogy.

“More specifically, the metric for success in a Star Wars movie cannot be box office sales. Lucasfilm and Disney *need* to listen to fan criticism. Star Wars fans deserve better. They demand better.”

Vela said film bosses had “reneged” on their promise to use different directors for each film and finished by demanding Kathleen Kennedy be appointed as director.

He wrote: “To prevent Star Wars Episode IX from becoming yet another rip off of the original trilogy (specifically, a rip off of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi), and for the good of the Star Wars brand, we demand that Kathleen Kennedy replace J.J. Abrams as director of the upcoming Episode IX film.”

Abrams was appointed to take over the helm after Colin Trevorrow dropped out earlier this month.

Disney confirmed the news in a statement, saying Lucasfilm and Trevorrow had “mutually chosen to part ways”.

Star Wars: Episode IX is slated for release in December 2019. It will follow on from The Last Jedi, the eighth episode, which is set for release on December 14 this year.