J.J. Abrams Episode IX Directorial Drama

From the outside perspective the directorial swap of Colin Trevorrow for J.J. Abrams appeared to be routine. It seemed to go as nonchalantly as juggling September call-ups in baseball. Little did we know, someone else was calling dibs on Abrams. According to The Hollywood Reporter, there was more drama behind this transaction than many of us realized.

J.J. Abrams has a deal with Paramount studios, which is currently working it's way through a box office slump. Despite the deal, Abrams hasn't directed a movie for his home studio since 2013. An Abrams helmed "tent pole" feature was viewed as the perfect cure for the studio's lagging performance. THR reports:

(current Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos') predecessor, Brad Grey, had tried to ensure that such a film was next on Abrams' dance card. Grey was known to be furious when Abrams, in January 2013, signed on to direct Star Wars: The Force Awakens for Lucasfilm and Disney.

THR continues:

So once Abrams finished his duties on Force Awakens, which was released in December 2015, Grey entered into a renegotiation obligating Abrams to direct his next movie for Paramount.

As you all know, the can that was kicked down the road once for TFA, has been kicked even further to accommodate Episode IX, which will commit Abrams past the end of his Paramount deal ending in 2018. So how did current Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos react to this? According to THR, about as well as you'd expect:

As for Gianopulos, the exec accommodated the move even if he was not happy, say sources. Paramount declined comment, but the studio chief is said to be irked to see Abrams get poached again — this time despite a specifically negotiated obligation.

Perhaps the most bitter pill to swallow is the meager compensation Gianopulos got for letting his star player play for another team:

In these circumstances, sources say he did the best he could by extracting some money from Disney for maintaining Abrams in the style to which he has become accustomed. But the payment is said to be a one-time shot of less than seven figures...

Don't worry, Paramount, the Red Sox got less for Babe Ruth. It seems Abrams keeps re-negotiating his deal, and Paramount is helpless to do anything but accept. I really hope J.J. went full Vader with them:

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