Though The Last Jedi may have garnered unwanted attention for being one of, if not the most divisive Star Wars movie ever made, Rian Johnson has taken everything in his stride, carefully explaining his creative vision and why, frankly, he didn’t bow to fan service when crafting Episode VIII.
Such an emboldened stance resulted in huge character moments for Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, while it was also revealed that Rey’s parents held no significance in the Star Wars universe, and were simply Jakku scavengers who perished long before she picked up that Lightsaber on Starkiller Base.
As for Johnson, he continues to stick to his guns. Asked if the blowback and online vitriol generated by The Last Jedi will have any bearing on his future ventures in the Star Wars universe, the director replied as so:
No, not really. I mean, I feel like every Star Wars thing that ever gets made gets a big loud response, because Star Wars fans are passionate and that’s what makes them awesome. I don’t think it’s possible…if you’re really telling a story you care about, and having it come from your heart, it’s just not possible to be intellectually processing what everyone else wants. Nor would it be a good thing. I don’t think that’s a good way to tell a story.
And make no mistake, after signing on to write and potentially direct an entirely new Star Wars trilogy, Rian Johnson has carved out his own little corner of that far-away galaxy. Word is him and his team have already set the wheels in motion on their embryonic space opera, which will presumably exist far, far away from the current Skywalker Saga.
It’s one that will reach its natural conclusion with the release of Episode IX late next year, which tells us that Johnson’s all-new Star Wars trilogy may be ready to take flight by 2020. Watch this space for more.
