Rip-Off? J.J. Abrams Says He Was “Embracing The History” Of The Series With ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

**Spoilers ahead** While “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is by no means a perfect movie, and has its issues, The Onion pretty much nailed how certain corners of the internet are wringing their hands about the movie with their recent article, Man Who Saw ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ 6 Times Over Holidays Thought It Was Pretty Good. There seems to be some reluctance among those who had quibbles and concerns with ‘The Force Awakens’ to just admit they really enjoyed themselves too. The harshest barb lobbed at J.J. Abrams‘ film — and not an entirely unfair one — is that it leans too heavily on the original trilogy, with callbacks, and even a plot, that seems to put new paint on an old tale. But the director responded and explains why people might feel that way given his approach to the movie.

“I knew that, whatever we did, there would be a group of people — and I was just hoping and praying that it would be smaller than not — that would take issue with any number of things,” Abrams told THR. “But I knew we weren’t making the movie for any other reason than we believed that it could be something meaningful and special and entertaining and worthy of people’s time.”

“I can understand that someone might say, ‘Oh, it’s a complete rip-off!’ What was important for me was introducing brand new characters using relationships that were embracing the history that we know to tell a story that is new — to go backwards to go forwards,” he added.

And really, that’s not much of a surprise. That approach — of more closely connecting to the earlier movies — is pretty much why Michael Arndt‘s vision that pushed a little further into the future of the timeline was abandoned. It still doesn’t explain why we needed another Death Star type weapon to be destroyed, but maybe Abrams will clue us in to that one later.

Meanwhile, some fans want George Lucas to return to helm ‘Episode IX.’ No, really. An online petition started by Yuri Luiz says, “We have no problem with Colin Trevorrow, but he’s not the right guy to direct Star Wars Episode IX . George Lucas as director of ‘Episode IX’ would be the perfect way to end this new trilogy and make an epic farewell between the Father of Star Wars and the whole universe of the galaxy far, far away.”

If, somehow, Lucasfilm entertained the notion, it’s unlikely George Lucas would say yes, given how clear he’s made it that he really didn’t like the direction taken with ‘The Force Awakens.’

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