Gay Star Wars characters will 'of course' happen, J.J. Abrams says
"The Force Awakens" director thinks it's only a matter of time before Star Wars movies feature gay characters.
Star Wars blockbuster "The Force Awakens" proved that a sci-fi film with female and black lead characters can be immensely successful.
When asked Thursday night at the US-Ireland Alliance's annual Oscar Wilde Awards if future Star Wars would continue featuring diverse characters on the big screen, director J.J. Abrams remained hopeful.
"When I talk about inclusivity it's not excluding gay characters. It's about inclusivity," Abrams said, according to the Daily Beast. "So of course."
Considering how many planets are in the films alone -- not to mention the ones mentioned in the Expanded Universe, which may or may not be gleaned for new movie plots -- it stands to reason there would be gay characters.
"To me, the fun of Star Wars is the glory of possibility," Abrams said. "So it seems insanely narrow-minded and counterintuitive to say that there wouldn't be a homosexual character in that world."
Of course, gay characters in the Star Wars books, video games and comics are nothing new. In 2012, EA caused controversy among conservative groups by adding gay characters to the game Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Just last year, author Chuck Wendig made a main gay character, the Imperial Officer Sinjir Rath Velus, and also added a lesbian couple, in his best-selling novel "Star Wars: Aftermath."
While gay and lesbian characters have popped up in past Star Wars Expanded Universe content, the jury is still out if they will make their way to the big screen.
After all, Disney is calling all the shots, not to mention the impact of future international box office sales in countries that aren't exactly LGBT-friendly.
But Abrams still remains hopeful of more diversity explored in upcoming stories from a galaxy far, far away.
"It's in private meetings, it's in private phone calls, it's in interviews," Abrams said. "I know that this will happen. I know it will. Not just on camera but behind the camera."