Disney is reshaping ‘Star Wars’ in the model of Marvel

Big news for Star Wars fans:

Rian Johnson, the director of Brick and Looper, is going to write and direct the next two Star Wars movies.

Johnson wrote and directed Brick, The Brothers Bloom, and Looper. He also directed three episodes of Breaking Bad (early episode where there’s a fly loose in the lab, episode centering around Walt’s 51st birthday, and one of the final episodes where there’s a shootout in the desert).

Johnson is among the least successful directors to take on a franchise of such magnitude. His last three films—Brick, The Brothers Bloom, and Looper—have made a total of $72 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The last Star Wars film, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, alone made $380 million worldwide. But taking a creative risk can pay off, as with Christopher Nolan’s direction of the Batman franchise.

Disney bought Marvel for $4 billion, turned it into a cash cow. Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion a year later, looks to have the same plans in mind.