Joss Whedon to direct Star Wars Episode IX?

Fanboys and fangirls, prepare for maximum excitement: Joss Whedon could be directing a Star Wars sequel.

The Get Your Geek On podcast (via moviepilot.net) reported earlier this week that Whedon "is a lock" for Star Wars: Episode IX, which is expected to be hitting cinemas in 2019.

The fan-run website MakingStarWars.net, which in the past has uncovered several reliable "scoops" on JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has also indicated that there may well be some truth to the rumours. 

"It feels like the rumors are getting going because the possibility exists," wrote the website's editor-in chief, Jason Ward. "It is possible. It almost seems crazy to imagine they never had a meeting or haven’t had a meeting just to discuss the possibilities."

Writer-director Whedon, who is known for directing Marvel's first two Avengers movies, and for creating much-loved television programmes such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, recently revealed that he will not be directing any further Marvel movies.

Like Marvel, the Star Wars franchise is currently owned by Disney; signing Whedon up to direct a Star Wars film would certainly be one way of keeping the popular director "in the Disney fold".

However, the rumours are yet to be officially confirmed, either by Disney, or by Whedon himself.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Josh Trank (the director of Chronicle and of forthcoming Fantastic Four movie) would no longer be directing one of Disney's three planned standalone Star Wars movie.

Star Wars Episode VIII, which is due for release in 2017, will be directed by Looper's Rian Johnson.