Back to the top. That’s what happened when JJ Abrams was given the task of directing ‘Episode IX.’ He directed “The Force Awakens” with his usual lens flares and kick-ass, Spielberg-inspired action sequences. There also was the news, according to his friend, that he regretted not directing ‘Episode VIII.’ “He read it and said something he never, ever says, he said, ‘It’s so good, I wish I were making it.’ He may have said something one time on ‘Lost’ with Damon [Lindelof], but I never hear him express regret like that.” He actually passed “The Force Awakens,” but Kathleen Kennedy wouldn’t take no for an answer. Nevertheless, he and Daisy ridley bonded quite well on that film, so much so that upon hearing the news that Abrams was returning, Ridley revealed she was in tears. According to Rolling Stone, the 25-year-old said: “Everyone was saying it was going to be Rian [Johnson, The Last Jedi director] and everything, so I was genuinely quite surprised. “And was like ‘Oh my god!’ and I started crying immediately with three people in the office. “And they were like, ‘What the f*** just happened?' So I emailed J.J. saying, ‘Oh my god I am crying.’ “And he goes, ‘Oh my god, me too.’ And then we had a conversation a few days later and we stay in touch. But we stayed in touch the whole time anyway.”
[Express]