JJ Abrams Isn’t Likely to Direct The DC Properties He’s Developing

JJ Abrams is developing several DC properties for live action projects at Warner Bros., but he isn’t necessarily looking to direct them. Abrams spoke with Collider for a new interview and was asked about his projects that he’s producing for DC, including a Ta-Nehisi Coates-written Superman film and a Justice League Dark series for HBO Max.

Talking about his producing of these projects through his Bad Robot shingle, Abrams said, “Well, I’ll say that the opportunity to get to work on any pre-existing franchise is definitely a double-edged sword. And while I’m incredibly grateful and proud to have been involved in the projects, of course, all I see is what things could have been and what we might have done. The importance of it is not lost on me, as temporary custodians of any ideas, whether they pre-exist us or not, which is to say I think that even with an original idea, somehow I still don’t quite understand where that creative impulse comes from and how the experience of writing something really is yours. I feel like we’re all just channeling something that we’re trying to serve, as opposed to something that we are doing and that is our work.”

He continued, “I know that Hollywood is a place where it used to be that people would be inspired by something that they would see or an old film or a show or something and think, ‘Oh, here’s my response to that. Here’s a version of that that.’ It’s become a place where, more often than not, you see something and people get inspired by it and go, ‘Let’s redo that exact thing.’ I feel like, as someone who started writing in television and telling original stories on film and in TV, it is something that I really do miss.”

Asked whether he’s planning to direct those projects, he said, “The few things that I’m working on now, as a writer, are original ideas. I just feel, as a director, I really would love to have my next projects be things that didn’t pre-exist me necessarily.”