Nowadays, it seems like everyone is talking about Brad Bird. The writer/director – whose new film Tomorrowland hits theaters on Friday – has been buzzed about lately for reasons unrelated to his highly anticipated latest project, which – as its name implies – is inspired by the Walt Disney World attraction of the same name. After years of speculaton, Bird recently confirmed that a sequel to his own beloved Pixar animated film The Incredibles will finally be his next project, after years of fan demand and speculation. However, the more intriguing (and potentially exciting) news to drop recently is in regards to the filmmaker’s possible involvement in another franchise: a little something known as Star Wars.

With Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm came the announcement that the world would be getting a new Star Wars film each year starting this December, an apparent revolving door of official “episodes” and the just-launched anthology films. This move essentially allows even more gifted filmmakers to have their shot at the “galaxy far, far away,” an opportunity that Disney has already wisely already given to J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens), Rian Johnson (Star Wars Episode VIII) and Gareth Edwards (Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One). Bird could mark not only the latest acclaimed auteur to jump in the fray but the perfect candidate to capture the franchise’s glory days.

It’s widely known that Star Wars was inspired by the old Flash Gordon serials of the 1940s. As such, it’s always been meant as to be rollicking, Saturday morning fun for all ages (despite the juvenile nature of some of George Lucas’ work, especially in The Phantom Menace). In recent years, few films have captured that whiz-bang momentum and heart-racing exhilaration as perfectly as Bird’s Pixar superhero epic The Incredibles, easily among that animation studio’s most enduring and fan-favorite projects.

In that film, Bird manages to create a story (about family, no less – a theme central to Star Wars a.k.a. the Skywalker saga) that strikes an emotional chord with viewers without ever losing sight of the larger-than-life characters and stakes at hand. Even when the film alludes to some pretty dark off-screen murders, it tows that line between being too intense for kids and accessible action for mainstream audiences. Moreover, the film is sharply written, and it isn’t hard to see the comparisons between some of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl’s zingers (not to mention the ever-fabulous Edna Mode) and Han and Leia’s playful exchanges in the original trilogy.

Still, Bird pulled off the impossible with The Incredibles, but that doesn’t necessarily qualify him for Star Wars, right? Although his directorial career is still early on, Bird has a consistent track record of critically acclaimed hits (his one financial disappointment, The Iron Giant, still has 97 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes) and has proven himself adept at big-screen live-action spectacle. Remember those breathtaking visual set pieces in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol… yep, that’s Bird.

If anything, the fact that Bird is still developing his skills as a film director is a strong point for why he’s such a great pick. In just four films, he has established and maintained an untarnished resume of projects, a devoted fanbase and a complete understanding of how to infuse genre films with enough humor, heart and action to excite viewers from 9 to 99. Disney/Lucasfilm would be hard-pressed to find another filmmaker with a sensibility that so closely matches what they need for Star Wars, especially if Tomorrowland (his first foray into live-action sci-fi/fantasy) is as great as the world hopes it will be.

At this point, nothing’s been confirmed. Bird has only alluded to vague “talks,” which in Hollywood could mean just about anything. However, it’s hard to imagine Disney not seducing him to the dark side at some point. Bird’s films have a way of effortlessly bridging the gap between children’s entertainment and more mature fare, to tap into the inner child of his adult viewers so that their enthusiasm and investment in the events onscreen rivals their younger counterparts. The marriage of filmmaker and material here is just too perfect to ignore, and Bird’s record with Pixar speaks for itself (both The Incredibles and Ratatouille each took in more than $600 million worldwide). In short, if Tomorrowland lands with critics and audiences alike this week, don’t be surprised to hear Bird’s name dropped during an official Star Wars announcement.

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Do you think Brad Bird would make the perfect director for a new Star Wars film? Send me a tweet @crookedtable and let me know if you agree or disagree with my take.