Star Wars: Colin Trevorrow Still “Deeply Satisfied” for Getting to Work on Abandoned Episode IX

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow was announced as the director of Star Wars: Episode IX in 2015, but just over two years later, the filmmaker parted ways from Lucasfilm and J.J. Abrams took over directing duties. With no official details having emerged about why the director parted ways from the project, it would be easy to assume Trevorrow was disappointed with the outcome, though he recently noted that he was still “deeply satisfied” to have worked with Lucasfilm to the extent that he did. When concept art from his planned film made its way online, it sparked a lot of engagement among fans, yet Trevorrow played coy about his thoughts on the reception from fans.

“It was complicated. But, honestly, I mean, since we’re talking now in 2022, I can say honestly I’m very grateful to [Lucasfilm president] Kathy [Kennedy] for recognizing that she and I were never going to make a movie that we were both proud of together,” Trevorrow shared with Uproxx. “And she’s been doing this for so long and she cares about me and I care about her and her family. And [producer] Frank [Marshall] and I are partners still. I’m a part of this group of incredible filmmakers, so it was a complicated moment, but now, having been able to do this and really feeling like this is what … I’m glad I did this. I’m deeply, deeply satisfied for having done this. I appreciate that she had the wisdom to see something that, honestly, I’m not sure I could’ve seen because I was so dialed in to the story I wanted to tell.”

Though it’s not entirely certain how concept artwork from Trevorrow’s Star Wars film made it online, which was titled “Duel of the Fates,” the director confirmed himself that more than a dozen images depicted his plans for the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga. In regards to the feedback he earned from fans who expressed their disappointment at not getting to see this adventure, Trevorrow teased, “It was a lot. I’ll leave it with that.”

The nature of the Star Wars fandom means that, regardless of what story is developed or by which filmmaker, fans who didn’t like a narrative will wish for an alternate version, so while we’ll never see Duel of the Fates, some fans will surely attest that this version of Episode IX will be superior to Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker.

Trevorrow’s Jurassic World Dominion lands in theaters on June 10th.

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