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For J.J. Abrams, directing 'Star Wars: Episode VII' means leaving Trekkies behind

For J.J. Abrams, directing 'Star Wars: Episode VII' means leaving Trekkies behind

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jj abrams stock (credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4588102254/sizes/o/in/photostream/ flickr)
jj abrams stock (credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4588102254/sizes/o/in/photostream/ flickr)

J.J. Abrams is done directing Star Trek films. After taking control of the sci-fi franchise for its big-screen reboot in 2009, Abrams returned for this year's Star Trek: Into Darkness. But he won't be coming back for a third time. "It definitely feels like the right time to let someone come in and do their own thing," he recently told IGN. Abrams describes his directorial split with the Star Trek universe as "bittersweet," though he'll be staying on as a producer — at least for the next film. But if you're banking on copious amounts of lens flare in the next installment, you may be in for disappointment. "We want to hire someone who’s gonna come in and bring their own sensibility," Abrams said. "I’m very excited to see what comes next, despite feeling jealous of whoever that person is.”

Of course, Abrams himself is the envy of producers everywhere; he's been tapped to helm Disney's upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII, leaving him little spare time for Captain Kirk and Spock. Still, while Abrams won't be behind the camera for another Star Trek, he's apparently taking an active role in shaping the plot. "There are things we’re focusing on right now before the director, which is just sort of the fundamentals of where the story is gonna go," he said in a recent interview with HitFix. Star Trek currently holds a 95 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Tomatometer putting Star Trek: Into Darkness at 87 percent.