This isn’t the Star Wars: Episode IX director you are looking for.

Well, at least that is the case with Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World). Lucasfilm has announced that Trevorrow will no longer be directing Star Wars: Episode IX. More on the story below.

The announcement was made on the Star Wars official website, where it is stated that the split was amicable. Trevorrow had been writing the script with his writing collaborator Derek Connelly. Wonder scribe Jack Thorne was recently brought onboard to do the rewrites, though it is not clear if any of the work will be scrapped for the incoming director. Here’s the official statement posted that was on the website.

Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars: Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.

This wouldn’t be the first time that a Star Wars film has been hit with a change of directors. Back when the spinoffs were first launched, Josh Trank was fired from the Boba Fett spinoff after word of his unprofessional antics were released. Rogue One reshoots were so troubling they had to bring in Tony Gilroy to help fix the script and tone. Most recently, Phil Lord and Chris Miller exited the Han Solo project over creative differences.

And that seems to be the common thread when something like this happens. Trevorrow wanted Episode IX to resonate with audiences of a new generation. Sources close to Variety tell them that there was a clash over the creative vision of Episode IX. But the news does come with good news.

Most weren’t too happy with Trevorrow’s hiring in the first place, citing his mishandling of characters in Jurassic World. The poor reception and box office performance of Book of Henry, Trevorrow’s most recent directorial effort, reinforced that notion. But it was because Trevorrow worked so closely with Jurassic World producer Frank Marshall and the film’s box office performance that got him the job in the first place. Marshall is the husband of Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Of course, Book of Henry was released after Trevorrow was hired, so there was no way of knowing it could have been a factor.

But now that Trevorrow is out, it’s time to look for his replacement. Some are calling for Ava DuVernay to take his place. Which is a great choice if you’ve seen Selma and the 13th. Her upcoming adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time was met with unanimous praise at the D23 Expo a few months back. Plus that film is being distributed by Disney, so there’s also the possibility of hiring from in house.

Other candidates include Patty Jenkins, who directed Wonder Woman. So no need for any explanation there. Michelle MacLaren, who was originally tapped to direct Wonder Woman, has been behind the lens for shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, though it seems unlikely as Disney would probably go with a seasoned director. Edgar Wright, who is coming off of Baby Driver, seems like the perfect guy for the job. There is even a chance that they could go with The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson again.

Star Wars: Episode IX is still scheduled for a May 2019 release.

[Source: Star Wars | Variety]