After Colin Trevorrow’s departure from Star Wars Episode IX, speculation ran wild about who would replace him. Taika Watiti was one of our favorite choices but he…didn’t seem into it. AT ALL. Others included Kari Skogland, Lexi Alexander and names like Edgar Wright and David Lynch were suggested too as was Ava DuVernay. DuVernay seemed like a front runner, especially as no less than JJ Abrams also believes she should direct a Star Wars movie.

And we think she will too, and be amazing at it, but not Episode IX. Earlier today it was confirmed that Abrams will be returning to direct and co-write Episode IX. Chris Terrio will be his co-pilot on the script. Terrio wrote Argo which is great and Batman V Superman which is greatly divisive but he and Abrams should balance each other out.

We’re going to be honest with you here folks and admit this one has us a little conflicted. We loved Abrams’ work on The Force Awakens, we love his first Star Trek movie and the Mission: Impossible franchise is a joy now thanks largely to him. Plus we totally see the common sense behind getting him to bookend the trilogy. It’s the exact same sort of movie as getting Ron Howard to finish off Han Solo and dropping Tony Gilroy into Rogue One to keep it on tonal track.

But it’s also not an interesting choice. DuVernay would have been amazing and she’s just one of a flotilla of directors who would take the Star Wars movies places they’ve never been and are overdue going to. Oh well, maybe next time…

Thanks to Den of Geek for the initial story.