While many may be envious of J.J. Abrams position as the director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, no one will be envious of the mounting pressure that will no doubt be accumulating on the directors shoulders. Many a director would jump at the chance to direct Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in their legendary roles from the original Star Wars trilogy, while bringing back to the big screen iconic imagery such as X-Wing vs TIE Fighter battles, the Millenium Falcon and the ever legendary lightsabre duels. And while it looks like The Force Awakens will at the very least be a better offering to Star Wars fans than the prequel trilogy, there is always the possibility that the movie may not live up to the hype it has created. No director will be envious of so much pressure, for if the Force Awakens was to flop it would surely be curtains for Abrams' directing career.
Ever the realist, with his feet always firmly planted on the ground Abrams talked abouth the presuures he is facing while talking to Stephen Colbert and fans (courtesy of Variety) at the recent Celebrity Nerd-Off Fundraiser in Newark, New Jersey...
“This is about 2,700 more people than I thought would be here,” Abrams quipped before adding, “I don’t know much about Montclair, but I’m learning and it makes me just want to move here.”
“We were working on the final mixes [of The Force Awakens] at 2:30 this morning. I left with six very small, but important things that (still) need to be done because I said, ‘I have to get to the Montclair Film Festival.'”
Speaking to fan at the event Abrams opened up about his feelings toward the movie...
“I wish you could zip line down here and hug me. The truth is working on this movie for nearly three years, it has been like living with the greatest roommate in history for too long. It’s time for him to get his own place. It’s been great and I can’t tell you how much I want him to get out into the world and meet other people because we know each other really well. But really, ‘Star Wars’ is bigger than all of us. So I’m thrilled beyond words (to be involved) and terrified more than I can say.”
And finally, after airing the latest trailer for fans at the fundraiser Abrams commented on his interpretation of the nature of the Force...
“It is such a powerful idea. It’s a religion without a god. It’s a nondenominational, powerful idea that was very important to us, in this film, to bring back.”
