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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle came out as one of the most successful movies of 2017, and it’s helmed by director Jake Kasdan. Kasdan is actually the son of Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan, but even after his success, he says he doesn’t want to helm his own Star Wars film.
Talking to Business Insider, Kasdan spoke out:
“I’m just a huge fan. There’s a part of me that feels like you relinquish that when you step behind the curtain. I love the rooting position I’ve been in with the ones that my dad and now my brother have worked on. It’s a really exciting thing to be near, without the pressure and anxiety of carrying it.”
It’s also worth noting that Kasdan’s brother Jon has written the Solo movie alongside their father and even has a small role as one half of the comedy duo Tag and Bink (made canon in the movie). It’s surely a missed opportunity for Kasdan to skip out on his family’s legacy, but you can understand that there’s an immense amount of pressure for people who sign on to direct Star Wars.
Though having a Star Wars film in your resume is a certain career boost, it certainly seems difficult to be too creative when it comes to making a movie for Lucasfilm. It seems that everything has to go by the book—otherwise, you’ll end up fired like Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Colin Trevorrow.
We don’t know if Kasdan is attached to it, but a Jumanji sequel is aiming to release later in 2019.
