Last week gave us the glorious, wondrous news that Rian “Looper” Johnson is in talks to write and direct “Star Wars: Episode VIII.” (Deadline originally reported that he’d do the same for “Episode IX,” but other sources don’t agree.)
And no tweet captured our excitement for the announcement quite like this one from Aaron Paul.
Fans of “Breaking Bad” probably know that Paul and Johnson have worked together on three occasions in the past. Those occasions happen to be three of the best “Breaking Bad” episodes ever made, so suffice it to say that their collaborative track record is strong.
Now, here’s my question: Why not continue that synergy in a galaxy far, far away?
The hard truth is that, like many actors in television’s current golden age, Paul has had a tough go of planting his flag in the film world. “Need for Speed” was his first attempt at a big-budget crossover, and while that didn’t earn Paul the notoriety that Jesse Pinkman fans know he deserves, his upcoming projects including Ridley Scott’s biblical “Exodus: Gods and Kings” and the ensemble crime film “Triple Nine” could change that.
You know what would definitely change Paul’s box office fortunes? Hitching his wagon to the “Star Wars” universe with a previous collaborator, that’s what.
“Episode VII” is poised to make huge stars out of actors like John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Domhnall Gleeson. That’s just the kind of power that the franchise currently has, so barring any disasters with J.J. Abrams’ trilogy opener, the same will be true for any cast members added for “Episosde VIII.”
If you’ve watched “Breaking Bad,” you know about Paul’s versatility. He changed so much over course of the AMC show, there’s no doubt that he could adapt to something as otherworldly as “Star Wars.”
Rian Johnson, make it happen.
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