'M:I III,' 'Trek' give me new hope for 'Star Wars'

Initially, the thought of more Star Wars films was an idea I hoped would go far, far away.

The original trilogy was great fun: Good vs. Evil spiced with wit, verve, derring-do and wild-looking aliens. George Lucas’ musings about making nine films sounded exciting — until the lackluster prequel trio with petulant Anakin, who even as an adult seemed more like a brat with a light saber than future Empire enforcer Darth Vader. If only Obi-Wan had sent him to his room without dessert. In light of the later films, news of a sequel trilogy was less appealing than a Jabba the Hutt selfie.

However, when J.J. Abrams was named to direct Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which picks up after the original trilogy, prospects brightened (although the idea of the Star Trek director helming Star Wars felt odd, like a ballplayer going from the Red Sox to the Yankees).

My main reason for a new hope: Mission: Impossible III, Abrams’ first feature directing assignment in 2006.

The M:I film franchise is based on a 1960s TV spy drama that had a brilliant conceit (besides "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds" and unforgettable theme music): Missions required a team of operatives to perform interlocking, time-sensitive tasks. If gadget guy Barney failed, master-of-disguise Rollin would be imperiled.

That interdependence was lost in the film series. Tom Cruise is an engaging action star, but it was too much of a one-hero show.

After the first two films, Cruise wanted Abrams for the third outing. The actor, who had watched the first two seasons of Abrams' spy series Alias, told Paste BN that the rookie director was "a brilliantly creative artist who really gets the franchise."

Abrams’ background in television and knowledge of popular culture — I've interviewed him over the years for stories about Alias, Lost and other shows — may have helped him appreciate how synchronized individual assignments in the TV series created a tense choreography where one slip could kill the larger mission.

In M:I III, Cruise was still the big star, but his Ethan Hunt was part of a four-person team that went on three precision missions. That team element has been refined in later Abrams-produced M:I films.

Similarly, Abrams recognized the essence of Star Trek with his 2009 reboot of the franchise, which had stalled. Who said so? None other than Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy. At the risk of using a Vulcan to buttress a Star Wars argument, Nimoy told me in 2009 that he sensed Abrams’ understanding when he signed on for the film and for a recurring role on Fox’s Fringe, which was produced by Abrams and Star Trek writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

“I thought these people really had an appreciation of what we did in the original series and films. … They had an appreciation of the Spock character," said Nimoy, who praised the "wonderful exuberance" of Abrams' storytelling.

The casting of Nimoy was a wise tactical move, too, giving the new endeavor a cherished link to the original 1960s TV series.

If Abrams could get those franchises on track, I figure he could put Star Wars back on strong footing (at least until Disney starts mass producing the films, Ultron is revealed to be a Sith lord and Midi-chlorians become part of the It's a Small World ride).

To be fair to the prequels, it's much easier for the sequels to connect to beloved characters and actors from the original films (I felt the enthusiasm first-hand when Harrison Ford was cheered at a Star Wars Comic-Con panel). Abrams is building on that bond by focusing as much as possible on practical effects, rather than computer-generated ones, and he benefits by having The Empire Strikes Back scribe Lawrence Kasdan as a writing partner.

There's always a danger of sinking into nostalgia, but an impressive array of new actors and characters suggests Star Wars can build on its impressive heritage.

Lucas deserves praise for creating a wonderful universe that excites fans four decades later, but it’s great to see Abrams with the keys to the Millennium Falcon. My hope is that he’ll take millions on a Heavens-to-Wookiee thrill ride — as long as he can get that darned hyperdrive working.