Rian Johnson To Write/Direct "Star Wars: Episode VIII." Is This A Good Thing?

Now that director Rian Johnson has officially been named as Disney’s Star Wars: Episode VIII writer and director of choice, let’s take a look at his sci-fi and fantasy credentials. Johnson, 40, first came to prominence with 2005’s Brick, on which he also took writing and directorial duties, as well as 2008’s The Brothers Bloom. His big break came with the well-received 2012 sci-fi action flick Looper, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. Looper told the story of a hired gun in the future, who travels through time to kill potential threats in the past.

The Star Wars contract is by far the biggest project of Johnson’s career so far, but the choice doesn’t really come as a surprise, given the amount of young talent involved in the new trilogy so far.

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Episode VIII is the second of three films that Disney announced after purchasing Star Wars creator George Lucas' Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4.05 billion, and will follow Star Wars: Episode VII, currently in production with director J.J. Abrams.

Star Wars: Episode VII was slated for a May 2015 release, but after some production delays, the date was pushed back to December 18.