Ben Affleck reveals why he declined to direct Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Director and actor Ben Affleck has confirmed that Lucasfilm approached him to direct ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, the film that revitalized the franchise following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm.

Speaking on the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast, Affleck explained that while he is a fan of the saga, he ultimately decided to decline the offer. He stated that he did not feel he possessed the necessary passion required to do justice to a franchise of such immense scale. Furthermore, he expressed concerns regarding his ability to reinvent a saga with such a deep history and noted the intense pressure of managing the expectations of a massive, highly opinionated fanbase.

Affleck noted that he believed another director with a stronger emotional connection to the project would achieve better results. The role was eventually filled by J. J. Abrams.