So we're clear, Spielbergian directors aren't going to all suddenly vanish off the earth like in some slapdash M. Night Shyamalan premise. The process will be more like climate change -- gradual and tormenting, with a lot of dummies insisting it isn't happening. For this reason, there are still a lot of great new directors making blockbuster films -- such as the aforementioned Jon Favreau, Christopher Nolan, and of course JJ Abrams. These are great mainstream directors ...

Box Office Mojo

One of these is not like the others.

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... all perpetually forced to direct other people's movies.

Save for the low-grossing Super 8, all of JJ's films have been reboots and sequels. When he's not making Robert Downey Jr. snarkily jet around, Favreau has to choose between no-budget indies or live-action Disney remakes. And while Christopher Nolan has done way more original work than not, his best-performing films are based on comics about a scowling ninja in pretend bat clothes.

It's extremely old news that 90 percent of what's selling are remakes and sequels. All opinions of that aside, the unexpected consequence is that any directors trying to make a name for themselves are stuck abiding by an already laid-out template. The next three Star Wars films are being directed by four incredibly unique directors behind films like Looper and The Lego Movie -- and yet I can already tell you exactly what those films will look and sound like. There will be John Williams music, an opening crawl, wipe transitions, earth-tone palettes, elaborate hair buns, evil robes, whooping Muppet robots, and a plot that won't challenge people in any extreme way. It will have to be a Star Wars film the way George Lucas originally designed them, so each director must adhere to that style while trying desperately to stand out, like a Target employee in festive socks. Just ask Gareth Edwards, the man behind Rogue One ...