Could Matthew Vaughn Be The Director of 'Star Wars: Episode VII'?

When Disney bought LucasFilms, the biggest acquisition was the “Star Wars” franchise and the biggest news was the announcement of a new “Star Wars” movie for 2015. With that comes speculation about who will be its director, and one website is connecting the dots and saying it may be Matthew Vaughn.

Although it is just a speculation, Collider is looking at the pieces of the Disney, LucasFilm and “Star Wars” puzzle and speculating that Matthew Vaughn could be the frontrunner to direct “Star Wars: Episode VII.” Granted, this is just a rumor but there is plenty of evidence for Vaughn as the choice.

“Star Wars” is a dream job for any director and there has been much speculation about who should direct the next episode. Names such as Christopher Nolan, Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro, J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird and Rian Johnson, to name a few, have been mentioned when discussing “Star Wars: Episode VII,” but some candidates are more likely than others.

With Matthew Vaughn, it looks like the stars are lining up. Vaughn has worked on big projects, including “X-Men: First Class” and “Kick Ass,” and has produced two cult favorites in “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” Vaughn was set to direct the sequel to “X-Men: First Class,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” but left the project. That seat is now filled and Collider believes he left that project to become the director of “Star Wars: Episode VII.”

Collider notes that this just a rumor based on word from unnamed sources. Collider has a good reputation for getting scoops right in the past and that's why some people are listening to this rumor a little more intently. Other media reports have confirmed that LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy has already been in talks with writers and that Disney and LucasFilm are not working on just one new “Star Wars” movie but a trilogy. Signing a director is a high priority in order to reach the 2015 date.

Vaughn is leaving “X-Men: Days of Future Past” despite it being a rather favorable situation. According to Collider, the head of 20th Century Fox, Tom Rothman, is leaving the studio, and has been known to be a thorn in many a director's side. With Rothman leaving, in theory, that may mean more creative freedom for Vaughn in the “X-Men” sequel.

There are some concerns about Vaughn. According to Bad Ass Digest, Vaughn has left projects, including “Thor,” at the last minute and likes to have control over the movies he is directing. For such a massive franchise as “Star Wars,” that may not be possible.

There will be plenty of speculation until Disney does announce a director for “Star Wars: Episode VII” and chances are other names will surface.