--- description: Abrams keeps his force strong in response to critics. title: J.J. Abrams Responds to People Calling 'Star Wars' a Ripoff image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01112d2428746389/69887848f887dc1cc4e9410f/j-j-abrams.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here's What J.J. Abrams Has to Say to _Star Wars_ Haters by [Oliver Gettell / Entertainment Weekly](/author/entertainment-weekly/) ## Oliver Gettell / Entertainment Weekly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 8, 2016 10:18 PM CUT  Director J.J. Abrams attends the 16th Annual AFI Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills on Jan. 8, 2016. Director J.J. Abrams attends the 16th Annual AFI Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills on Jan. 8, 2016.Kevin Winter—Getty Images by [Oliver Gettell / Entertainment Weekly](/author/entertainment-weekly/) ## Oliver Gettell / Entertainment Weekly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 8, 2016 10:18 PM CUT J.J. Abrams has heard the criticism that _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_ cribs too heavily from George Lucas’ original trilogy. But the director of what is now the [highest-grossing domestic release of all time](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/01/03/box-office-report-star-wars-force-awakens-new-years "undefined") doesn’t seem to find the lack of faith disturbing. In a [recent interview](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/awards-chatter-podcast-jj-abrams-853171 "undefined") with the _Hollywood Reporter_, Abrams acknowledged that some viewers may find his film overly familiar, but he also maintained that it was important to acknowledge the franchise’s past while paving the way for its future. “I can understand that someone might say, ‘Oh, it’s a complete rip-off!’” [Abrams said](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/awards-chatter-podcast-jj-abrams-853171 "undefined"), adding, “What was important for me was introducing brand new characters using relationships that were embracing the history that we know to tell a story that is new — to go backwards to go forwards.” Abrams, who co-wrote _The Force Awakens_ with Lawrence Kasdan (after Michael Arndt worked on earlier drafts), also said he knew going into the project that he wouldn’t be able to please everyone. “I knew that, whatever we did, there would be a group of people — and I was just hoping and praying that it would be smaller than not — that would take issue with any number of things,” he said. “But I knew we weren’t making the movie for any other reason than we believed that it could be something meaningful and special and entertaining and worthy of people’s time.” _This_ [_article_](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/01/08/star-wars-force-awakens-jj-abrams-rip-off "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_EW.com_](http://www.ew.com "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4173835/jj-abrams-star-wars-haters/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4173835/jj-abrams-star-wars-haters/"},"headline":"Here's What J.J. 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