Director J.J. Abrams has received a great opportunity for the second time as he signed to replace Colin Trevorrow as director of Star Wars: Episode IX and jilted the studio he called home.
A new report said that Paramount Pictures executives are not content with Abrams’ decision to drive the final film in the new Star Wars trilogy.
Former Paramount chief, Brad Grey signed Abrams a deal with the studio after Mission: Impossible 3 in 2006. The Hollywood Reporter states that it was worth $10 million per year for overhead and development of projects. When Abrams finished The Force Awakens, and Grey renegotiated the deal with to make his next project.
But Abrams opted to return to the Star Wars universe and angering Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos. But could he risk any arbitration? Maybe, the filmmaker for taking on this project?
Abrams’ contract is up in 2018. So, doing that would sever ties and ensure the director does not work for the studio. And a cash cow like Abrams whose directing projects have netted over $5 billion at the box office is always better to have on your side.
Though XXX: The Return of Xander Cage and Transformers: The Last Knight did well, the latter did not meet expectations from previous entries in the series.
Unfortunately, they will not be able to rely on Abrams to deliver work until 2019.
Two years is not a long when focusing on the big picture, and Paramount will attempt to renegotiate and keep Abrams. Despite directing the Star Trek films and Super 8 after signing the contract, he has produced Mission: Impossible films, Star Trek Beyond, and two Cloverfield movies.
The report stated that Paramount might negotiate some money from Disney for Abrams’ services, though it will be a paltry seven-figure sum as compared to box office returns.
“Saying, ‘You’re going to do something for us’ and handing them millions of dollars for that project, you’re putting yourself in great peril,” said one source. “How to enforce [a deal] is as complicated as the deals themselves.”
Star Wars: Episode IX is due in theaters on December 20, 2019
