‘Blade Runner 2049’ Art Director Joins ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’

I’ll leave the debate about the merits of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to others, but J.J. Abrams‘ franchise re-introduction looked good, but also familiar. Part of the mandate of that film was leading audiences back into the galaxy far, far away without too much disruption. Rian Johnson was more free to toss out the rulebook with “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” creating truly stunning imagery that brought a contemporary spirit to the saga without losing the original flavor. The visuals were bold, and the design pushed the envelope. And if you feared that Lucasfilm might keep things safe for ‘Episode IX’ in a bid to curry favor with dorks who like to complain, guess again.

Paul Inglis has been tapped as the Art Director on ‘The Last Jedi’ followup, and his credits are impressive. He was part of the team that created the stunning world of “Blade Runner 2049,” and Inglish also counts “Prometheus” and “Game Of Thrones” on his resume. Dude knows about dreaming up big environments, and he will be a key asset to assist the Production Design team. Of course, don’t expect a total departure from what we come to expect from a “Star Wars” movie, but it does suggest that Abrams wants to do a few new things when he returns behind the camera.

“Star Wars: Episode IX” is expected to begin production this summer, and it will open on December 20, 2019. [THR]