You guys know I don't have a horse in the race where Star Wars films are concerned. When the sale happened, followed by the announcement of sequels, I gave it a look and went about my day. No doubt I'd follow the developments, but from a distance.

That said: As a huge fan of what Abrams has done with Star Trek, I can't help but think his involvement is a significant plus. I'm a long time fan of Trek who had finally said goodbye to it because it had become C-SPAN in space. Abrams returned it to science fiction adventure and gave the characters depth again.

Likewise, his expert handling of Super 8 - making a 1980s-inspired film that actually looks and feels like the 1980s - is proof to me that he understands why that period in film connected with so many of us (myself included). If Lucas is truly uninvolved and Disney stays out of the way, Star Wars is in very good hands.

I'm now officially on the verge of weighing the pros & cons of considering whether or not I'm cautiously optimistic.

;-)