Disney approached Guillermo Del Toro for ‘Star Wars: Episode 7’

The Disney-acquired Star Wars: Episode VII isn't due in theaters until 2015, but it's one of the hottest movie topics there is. With Michael Arndt already writing the script — he was a writer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Toy Story 3, Little Miss Sunshine and the upcoming Oblivion — everyone wants to know who will direct Episode VII. Several directors — J.J. Abrams, Steven Spielberg and Brad Bird among them — have taken themselves out of the running. Now, Guillermo Del Toro has told The Playlist that he received a call about the job, but politely declined.

Explaining the call that took place, leading to him turning down the offer, Del Toro said:

We got one phone call to my agent saying, 'Is Guillermo interested?' And basically I have so much stuff already on my own, and I'm pursuing stuff that I'm generating already […] It was very flattering. It was just a phone call, it didn't go past that, it was very nice to be asked, but believe it or not, I'm busy enough.

It's true; Del Toro is very busy between now and when Star Wars: Episode VII would release. In addition to producing multiple projects, Guillermo Del Toro is directing Pacific Rim, Pinocchio, The Incredible Hulk TV series and Hellboy 3. However, now that I know he won't be doing it, I can't help but really want him to direct it. He can bring Star Wars back to practical effects, make-up, prosthetics and puppets. All of that combined with me imagining Luke Skywalker taking on a huge Galactic Empire mech has me yearning for him to direct it.

Even though he's too busy to direct it, Del Toro does have his own suggestion as to who should direct the next trilogy of Star Wars films. That man is Brad Bird, who already said he won't be doing them. Brad Bird has directed The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and is directing the mysterious, upcoming 1952 with George Clooney set to lead. Del Toro said, "I think the fans deserve somebody that is just going to immerse themselves completely. As a geek, I would have loved to see Brad Bird take it." Bird would've worked well with Arndt, who both worked on numerous Pixar projects, but I guess it's just not meant to be.

So until we get an announcement from Disney on which director will undertake Episode VII — which will probably be the most highly anticipated movie ever, with a ton of expectations and harsh critiquing to be expected — we'll just keep wondering and dreaming of dream candidates for the job.

You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at LLiebl@GameZone.com