Movie dudes love fighting about cinema. Someone didn’t like the way the cars exploded in their rival’s blockbuster. Some old men hate superheroes. The younger men, who will soon be old men, resent the already old men because they love their superhero movies and think the old men are out of touch. Critics, many men, fight with both young and old men. And then, even more men, mostly from the internet, tweet ceaselessly at everyone involved. The circle of dude fights continues!
Here’s a recent development in dude fights: Disney CEO Bob Iger’s revelation in his memoir that George Lucas didn’t care much for J.J. Abrams reboot of his franchise, Star War: The Force Awakens. According to Iger, Lucas thought his successor’s films lacked flavor. When Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy screened the film for him prior to release, Lucas told onlookers, “There’s nothing new.”
J.J. Abrams, meanwhile, finally responded to the criticism in a recent Rolling Stone profile, in which he claimed, “It’s probably a lot easier being a schoolteacher” than it is navigating a film set, especially one in the shadow of George Lucas. (Schoolteachers, meanwhile, would probably disagree!) He also reveals that while he’s “only had gratitude” for Lucas and his legacy, he still wishes The Force Awakens “had been his favorite movie of all time.” He continues: “I only wanted to do well by him. I would just say that I have nothing but profound respect for the guy.” Spicy!
Because it plays out in a fluffy profile ahead of the conclusion to Disney’s cash cow franchise, the moment lands rather soft. And doesn’t seem like much of a fight at all! But if this were an episode of Real Housewives, Lucas and Abrams would be seated at an artisanal bakery. Lucas, who had skipped on Abrams’s birthday party to badmouth him around Hollywood, would roll his eyes while Abrams explained how gracious and thankful he was to be spending time with him. Meanwhile, in his confessional, Abrams would call Lucas a bitch, and probably tell him to “grow up.” But sadly, this isn’t the Real Housewives. Dude fights are much more boring! At least both can cry into their piles of money tonight, wishing they could have just had a regular old fistfight instead.