Via Nme.com:

‘Star Wars fans deserve better’, the petition reads

Fans are petitioning Lucasfilm to discharge J.J. Abrams from his post as director of Star Wars: Episode IX, just one week after his appointment to the role.

Last week, following the news that Colin Trevorrow was no longer directing the film, it was announced that the Star Wars: The Force Awakens director would step in to replace him.

Under Abrams’ direction, the seventh film in Star Wars‘ Skywalker saga became the third highest grossing film ever made. Despite its success and positive reviews, one unhappy fan has created a petition for Lucasfilm to “Remove J.J. Abrams as director of Star Wars Episode IX”. It currently has 1,811 signatures.

The petitioner, Matt Vela, argues Abrams’ direction of The Force Awakens resulted in a film that was too similar to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. “There was virtually no creativity,” he writes, “and no risks taken.”

He argues that Lucasfilm and Disney promised a new director for every film “to promote a fresh new vision on every instalment”, adding: “Therefore, to prevent Star Wars Episode IX from becoming yet another rip off of the original trilogy (specifically, a rip off of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi), and for the good of the Star Wars brand, we demand that Kathleen Kennedy replace J.J. Abrams as director of the upcoming Episode 9 film.” Lucasfilm has yet to issue a response on the petition.