As we continue to wait with bated breath to see who will helm the next Star Wars film, another name can be crossed off the list. Not that anyone really thought he’d do it anyway, given the massive amount of projects already on his slate, but Guillermo Del Toro is certainly an inspired choice and yet another reminder that the *new* Lucasfilm is on the ball when putting out feelers for talent. Let’s hope their final selection reflects that, though.
“We got one phone call to my agent saying, ‘Is Guillermo interested?’ And basically I have so much stuff already of my own, and I’m pursuing stuff that I’m generating already…” said Del Toro to The Playlist, relenting that he had to turn the gig down. “It was very flattering,” he said, adding: “It was just a phone call, it didn’t go past that, it was very nice to be asked, but believe it or not, I’m busy enough.”
Accordingly, Del Toro said he wouldn’t be helming any of the rumored spin-offs of the Star Wars universe, but the PACIFIC RIM helmer did name drop his perfect choice for the franchise. “I think the fans deserve somebody that is just going to immerse themselves completely. As a geek, I would have loved to see Brad Bird take it,” said Del Toro.
Unfortunately, Bird also shot down any hope of helming STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, as he is gearing up for his elusive project 1952 with writers Jeff Jensen and Damon Lindelof with George Clooney in the lead. Del Toro has numerous TV/Cable shows in the works, including an Incredible Hulk revamp, The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death at HBO, an adaptation of The Strain for FX, as well as his feature film work, including a stop-motion PINNOCHIO and the recently announced CRIMSON PEAK.
Del Toro’s next outing, PACIFIC RIM, opens on July 12, 2013.
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