J.J. Abrams Regrets That He’s Not Directing Star Wars Episode VIII

In a rare moment of revealing honesty from Star Wars: Episode VII director, J.J. Abrams, he admitted regret towards not staying aboard the Star Wars ship for Episode VIII.

Greg Grunberg, who has been working with Abrams on various projects since Felicity and LOST, where he played Oceanic 815’s pilot, says Abrams wishes he was sticking around for the next installment. “He read it and said something he never, ever says,” Grunberg told The Washington Post about Abrams’ reaction to Episode VIII‘s script. “He said, ‘It’s so good, I wish I were making it.”

Though the millions of us who have seen Episode VII wish Abrams was sticking around, his seal of approval and admiration for Episode VIII‘s script should be reassuring. “He may have said something one time on Lost with Damon [Lindelof],” Grunberg continued, “but I never hear him express regret like that.”

Abrams is not completely hands-off with the Star Wars franchise. He’ll still be around, producing the franchise, as he does with Star Trek. However, the Justin Lin’s new Star Trek Beyond trailer goes to show that a director’s style and vision is ultimately going to craft a movie.

Episode VIII will be directed by Rian Johnson of Looper, Brick and The Brothers Bloom. Prior to The Force Awakens’ release, Abrams and Johnson would share early cuts of the film to make the franchise’s transition into a new director more seamless.

The Force Awakens is now playing in theaters and Star Wars: Episode VIII hits theaters May 27, 2017.