Disney alligns with Lucasfilm? May the Force be with us all.

Unless you live under a rock, you are aware that Disney just bought Lucasfilm, and that more Star Wars movies will definitely be put into production. With legendary creator George Lucas stepping down, what exactly does this mean for the future of this monumental franchise?

First off, let me say that I really don't think Disney will have virtually any input regarding the actual film production. The company did the same thing when they bought Marvel. They didn't even have their logo in the Avengers credits, because they simply did it as a business move. It's the same thing here, they wanted more money because they don't have enough from the enormous theme park in Orlando, or from their hundreds of movies and thousands of products they market.

That being said, the most important factor in ensuring the success of future films is selecting quality filmmakers to take up Lucas' mantle. Here are my top directors to do the job, in no particular order.

1) Christopher Nolan

2) James Cameron

3) J.J. Abrams

4) Peter Jackson

5) Guillermo del Toro

6) Joss Whedon

7) Kevin Smith

8) Alex Proyas

9) Sam Raimi

10) Steven Spielberg

11) Jon Favreau

12) Bryan Singer

13) Wachowskis


Each of these filmmakers are veterans of the science-fiction/fantasy genre, and each have things to contribute towards the Star Wars universe.

In spite of Nolan's reputation for more gritty films, I wouldn't immediately disregard him from working with a more lighthearted story. Look at Scorsese. While the legendary director is primarily known for his gangster films such as Goodfellas and Gangs of New York, he also made Hugo, which is arguably his best work. Nolan is obviously a genius at constructing quality stories, and worlds of cinematic brilliance. To me, he would definitely be a worthy successor of Lucas.

After Avatar, Cameron has proved his ability to make a remarkable sci-fi epic. The master behind Aliens and Titanic has demonstrated his spirit of imagination and wonder throughout his career. He too is an ideal choice to take on Episodes 7,8, and 9.

The only reason for Abrams not to take on this project is because he already has Star Trek under his belt. He's the Spielberg of the 21st Century, and has every quality that would give him the ability to make the next set of movies within the saga.

Jackson and Del Toro go hand in hand, as they've each made the best fantasy films of all time. Imagine the awe and wonder of Lord of the Rings and Pan's Labyrinth in the Star Wars universe. My nerd senses go crazy just thinking about it.

I wouldn't put Whedon first, but I think he would have something substantial to offer. Avengers is what fans expected for the most part, and Firefly is one of the best shows ever. With a solid script, he could do an effective job.

As for Smith, I had to put him on here since he's such a hard-core fan. While his films are very adult, putting him pretty much on Tarantino's level, he's had so much experience with the comic book world that I'd be interested in seeing what he could come up with.

Proyas is also up in the running to direct a Batman reboot, and is therefore another solid choice here. Dark City demonstrates his innate artistic ability as a storyteller, and he could just as well deliver a wide range of other great sci-fi films.

Between Evil Dead, Spider-Man, and now his upcoming Oz: The Great and Powerful, Raimi has a lot of experience in this genre. He too is a fan favorite, and is definitely worthy of making this list.

After over thirty years of filmmaking, Spielberg continues to inspire a wide range of audiences with his pictures. With the work he and Lucas have done together, there's no reason not to put him on here.

Iron Man is worthy of comparison to Batman Begins in terms of effectively exploring the origins of a superhero. Favreau was no doubt inspired by Lucas in his youth when he saw A New Hope on the big screen. This Marvel veteran is ideal to continue Lucas' legacy.

Singer's made his fair share of mistakes, but X2 is hands down one of the best superhero films, as well as one of the greatest sequels ever made. Superman Returns, while not the best, also demonstrates his potential from a cinematic perspective nonetheless.

Like Nolan and Smith, the Wachowskis would also have to tone things down to be considered. Regardless, they're obviously experts at what they do, and I think they'd have some fun with Jedi.

As far as the story goes, I personally think it should be set in the era of the Old Republic. There's a lot of areas to explore in this time period, and whoever does it has plenty of material to work with between all the books and comics on this subject.

Time will only tell the future of Star Wars, but we can only hope the next series of films don't bomb. In the meantime, I agree with many of my fellow fans in that the original unaltered trilogy should be released on Blu-Ray. I'm sick of watching Greedo fire first and all the CGI garbage in the edited versions. Until we know the outcome of these events, may the Force be with us all.