Awesome. The 2009 Star Trek had more Star Wars in it than any of the SW prequels. This could be good after all.

This is a boring choice for me. ST 09 was good, but I don't see Abrams directing SW VII that much differently.

It just feels odd that the two biggest sci-fi franchises will have been revived under the same director. As a filmgoer, I want to see different directors doing different movies, not one guy doing them.

JJ has a monopoly on directing sci-fi!

George pretty much summed up my feelings on it. His Star Trek is also way more Wars than Trek anyway. Super 8 was more Trek (and easily my favorite of his recent work). If it means no more JJverse Trek, I can sort of support it as I'd rather him do Wars than Trek anyway, but both saga's having his stamp on them really homogenizes Science Fiction.

Safest choice likely from multiple perspectives.

But not likely innovative or daring.

Now it all depends on how the script turns out.

captainsolo said:

Safest choice likely from multiple perspectives.

But not likely innovative or daring.

Now it all depends on how the script turns out.

Exactly. A safe, marketable decision.

But an interesting or exciting one? Not to me. And I don't mean to say I think the film will be bad. I just don't think that, as a director, JJ will bring anything "innovative or daring" to the table. It doesn't have me interested to see what the movie will be. I'm thinking, "Oh, him? Okay, I think I know what the movie will be like." And I ain't talkin' 'bout lens flares.

Basically, this kind of fuels my cynicism from the initial Disney announcement. JJ feels like a choice made for marketing and name-dropping purposes. Then again, if he hadn't done ST 09 maybe I'd think differently.

Either way, the movie will make a lot of money. That's all that really matters.

His Star Trek was as boring/interesting as Nemesis and had key scenes of people leaping from one platform to another Mario style (just like the PT).

It may end up being a good film but this news doesn't automatically fill me with optimism.

I am in agreement with georgec and company.

No matter what I'd be nervous...that it feel Star Wars-like and that it also feel original.

Maybe fearing it will now be middling in both respects is unfair to Mr. Abrams. But the guessed reasons for his choosing is suggestive...

Yet as y'all point out, much depends on the script.

What does Mr. Abrams bring to the table as an auteur?

SilverWook said:

Didn't Abrams publicly state he wasn't interested, (and committed to the Trek movie franchise) just a couple weeks ago?

Yeah right around the end of December:

 “I quickly said that because of my loyalty to Star Trek, and also just being a fan, I wouldn’t even want to be involved in the next version of those things,” Abrams told Empire. “I declined any involvement very early on. I’d rather be in the audience not knowing what was coming, rather than being involved in the minutiae of making them.”

Mrebo said:

Yet as y'all point out, much depends on the script.

What does Mr. Abrams bring to the table as an auteur?

If Lindelof is summoned for last minute re-writes I'm out of here.

Han: I'm calling because I'm planning on asking Leia to marry me and... I was hoping to get your approval.
Bail: Han, let me ask you a question.
Han: Sure.
Bail: How well do you know my daughter?
Han: Um, we've been dating for two years...
Bail: Because if you feel the need to ask me about this scenario, I have a sense you don't know Leia at all.
Han: Sir, I love your daughter and I want to marry her. That's why I'm calling.
Bail: First of all, Han, the truth is this is just a courtesy call. Like when you say to your neighbor, "We're having a loud party on Saturday night if that's all right with you." What you really mean is, "We're having a loud party on Saturday night."
Han: Mr. Organa...
Bail: Leia doesn't give a damn what my opinion is. What interests me is that you do.
Han: It's just a custom to call the father, that's all this is...
Bail: Well, then, I'll tell you what. I may become your father-in-law, that's just fine. But I will not be used as part of a charming little anecdote you tell your friends at cocktail parties so they can see what a quaint, old-fashioned guy Han really is. Are we clear?
Han: Yes, sir...
Bail: Good. Then welcome to the family.

Honestly... I'm "okay" with the choice...

I'd love to see him co-direct with Joss Whedon, tbh.

It's a smart move in some ways from Disney.

Whoever they picked, we'd be talking about him/her (yeah like a female director ever stood a chance at this gig).

By picking Col Jesus Jones Abrams every interweb is twitchering.

People are already speculating if Pegg will get the whole set and and a Star Wars role to his Trek and Who collection.

At the end of the day it's the final movie that counts.