The relationship between J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof is one of infamy. The two have worked together on projects like Lost and the new Star Trek franchise. The relationship is such that many expect that Abrams being given the reins to Star Wars means that Lindelof is also involved in the franchise. According to him, however, not only has he not worked on it, he doesn’t know anything about it, on purpose.
Damon Lindelof says that when the plans for Episode 7 began, J.J. Abrams did try to talk to him about it but the writer rebuffed him, saying that, as a fan of Star Wars (just like everybody else), he didn’t want to know anything about it and wanted to enjoy the film as a fan. Because the relationship between the two is so well known, it hasn’t stopped people from trying to get details out of Lindelof, but they’re details he doesn’t have.
So for the last two years, everybody I know has been like, ‘What do you know about Star Wars?’ And I’ve been able to say, ‘I don’t know anything, I’m going into it just as blind as you are.’
Lindelof told The Hollywood Reporter’s Hollywood Masters interview series that knowing Abrams is something of a curse because people are always trying to get information out of him, whether he has it or not. With the collection of mysteries that are currently surrounding The Force Awakens, there are certainly plenty of things fans are waiting to find answers to.
But not knowing about the story and not being involved in writing it are two different things. As a Star Wars fan, one would guess Damon Lindelof would have accepted knowing about the story if he’d had a hand in writing something. However, Lindelof says Abrams never even asked him about contributing. Lindelof says he was too busy working on other projects to work on the new Star Wars movie, though it also sounds like he wishes he’d at least been asked.
I was deeply entrenched on the first season of The Leftovers and Tomorrowland, simultaneously, so even if he had asked — I tell myself that he didn’t because I was completely and totally tied up.
Of course, if he’d actually been asked who knows if he’d been able to find the time to work on the script or not. As a fan, it would have been a difficult impulse to fight off. There are probably a couple million Lost fans who are glad he wasn’t asked, though.
The question he doesn’t answer is whether or not he’s already seen the movie. So while he didn’t want to know anything going in, it’s possible he has all the answers now.
