Few people knew the name Colin Trevorrow until a few weeks ago when it was rumoured he’d met George Lucas and was top of the list to direct the planned, Star Wars: Episode VII. While Trevorrow has now said he definitely won’t be taking that job on, it appears Disney has given the Safety Not Guaranteed helmer a consolation prize, with a remake of Flight Of The Navigator.

Variety reports that Trevorrow and co-writer Derek Connolly will rewrite the script, based on the 1986 movie (which actually only became a Disney movie after the company that made is went bust before they could complete the film). The film is about a young boy who falls down a ravine in the woods, but when he crawls out he discovers that while he’s the same, eight years have passed and that his family is now older and living in a different house. While they’re shocked but surprised to have him back, NASA also becomes interested in him, as they think he may have some connection to an alien craft they’ve discovered.

The film is a childhood favorite of Trevorrow’s, so hopefully he’ll be a good choice to direct (although if the remake can make Flight Of The Navigator’s robot Max slightly less annoying, that would be good).

While Trevorrow is out of Star Wars, he doesn’t seem too upset, as talking to THR he says, “It’s not going to be me for Episode VII, and I can’t believe I’ve actually had to come out and say that. That was the most shocking thing, like around the dinner table when I was 8, I had to assure everyone that it wasn’t me, but now actually for real. But there are a lot of things that have come up that are a lot of exciting opportunities that have come up because of this.”