'Star Wars Episode 7' Director Announced Soon?

Since Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion and announced plans to release at least three new "Star Wars" films, beginning in 2015, news surrounding the new films has arrived at light speed. We've already heard Disney signed on "Toy Story 3" writer Michael Arndt to pen the screenplay for "Episode VII," and bought script treatments from "Empire Strikes Back" scribe Lawrence Kasdan, and Simon Kinberg. Now it looks like we may not have to wait much longer until a director is announced.

Speaking in a radio interview with ABC News, film producer Kathleen Kennedy said pre-production for "Episode VII" would begin in spring 2013, and seemed to hint that Disney would announce the director for "Episode VII" in January.

"I have no immediate update, but hopefully in January I'll have something that I can say," Kennedy told ABC News Radio.

Now, we realize that's much to go on. But be patient young padawans, have a little faith. We've been surprised in the past by this sort of winking and nudging. And considering her statements that pre-production is beginning in spring 2013 and Arndt's screenplay for "Episode VII" is already well underway, we're betting this is a director announcement.

Numerous candidates have been thrown around in connection to "Episode VII," with everyone from Pixar's Brad Bird, and David Fincher, to "Tron Legacy" director Joseph Kosinski. Recently we'd heard murmurs that "Safety Not Guaranteed" director Colin Trevorrow was being considered to direct the upcoming "Star Wars: Episode VII."

Trevorrow reportedly recently met with Lucas to discuss the potential project because his time travel comedy "Safety Not Guaranteed" was a hit at Lucasfilm. A source close to the production has indicated that Trevorrow's chat with Lucas went well enough that he is now being seriously considered to direct the next Star Wars movie, said Celebuzz.

However, since then, Trevorrow has come out and explicitly said he will not be directing the film.

"It's not going to be me for 'Episode VII,' and I can't believe I've actually had to come out and say that," the filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter. "That was the most shocking thing, like around the dinner table when I was 8, I had to assure everyone that it wasn't me, but now actually for real. But there are a lot of things that have come up that are a lot of exciting opportunities that have come up because of this."

With Trevorrow officially out the running, it looks like Matthew Vaughn may be among the top directors vying for the project. Collider is reporting that "Kick-Ass" director Matthew Vaughn is in talks with Lucasfilm to helm "Star Wars: Episode VII."

Vaughn has also directed "Stardust," "Layer Cake," and "X-Men: First Class."

"My sources tell me this is the main reason he dropped out of the 'X-Men' sequel," reported Collider.

The site notes if Vaughn is being lined up by Disney to helm the film, it's likely a similar contract to the agreement director Marc Web signed while directing the newest, "Spider Man." Most likely a film-by-film basis, "with the assumption that if the first film is a success and he wants to come back, he could," said Collider.

Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company plans to release a new "Star Wars" film every two to three years after "Episode 7."

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see 'Star Wars' passed from one generation to the next," said Lucas, the 68-year-old chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm. "It's now time for me to pass 'Star Wars' on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that 'Star Wars' could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime."

Arndt's treatment for the new "Star Wars" film "will bring the saga of the Skywalkers, the Force-imbued family comprising Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and twins Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, to a close in a new trilogy," said The Hollywood Reporter.

The story is said to focus on a new generation of heroes and would feature appearances by Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in older incarnations of their beloved characters from the original Star Wars trilogy.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Sources have said not to discount the possibility that a number of characters from previous 'Star Wars' films could reappear - even the dead Jedis, who have a habit of showing up in spirit form."