Rian Johnson Liked All Your ‘Final Jedi’ Reactions, Really

The information broke mere weeks before the release of Star Wars: The Final Jedi. Lucasfilm and Disney had rehired writer-director Rian Johnson to make a brand new trilogy of Star Wars movies, marking the final word vote of confidence in his upcoming eighth chapter within the saga. Pleasure couldn’t have been increased. And whereas, for some, the film’s bold, surprising take on Star Wars lived as much as that, for others, it did not.

The weeks, months, and now years because the launch of The Final Jedi have seen Lucasfilm scrambling over the place to go subsequent in a galaxy far, far-off. Johnson’s trilogy all however evaporated, and announcement after announcement of latest motion pictures suffered related fates. Subsequent 12 months, the discharge of a movie version of a TV show that was nonetheless two years from existence at the moment will mark the primary Star Wars film because the conclusion of the sequel trilogy. A trilogy whose closing movie was put into disarray by the polarizing response to Johnson’s work.

However, for Johnson himself, he seems to be again on that point and every little thing that’s come since with positivity. Talking at Newport Beach Film Festival this week, Johnson (who did go on to make a brand new trilogy, simply of Knives Out movies) was requested if the fan response to The Final Jedi was answerable for him not making new Star Wars movies.

“No, by no means,” he stated. “In truth, it’s the rationale that I needed to. My total expertise with placing the film out, and what you’re speaking about with fan suggestions… I imply, initially, I’m a lifelong Star Wars fan. So I do know the deal. I do know that Star Wars followers are enthusiastic about these items. We love the stuff we love, we hate the stuff we hate, and we struggle about it. And that’s been taking place because the unique trilogy. I used to be in faculty when the prequels got here out. Are you kidding me? The prequel wars? We had just a few. I imply, everyone did. And so, the notion that Star Wars has been this sort of Shangri-La, united fandom, and that [nothing] may then break up that aside [is false]. The fact is Star Wars has all the time been one thing that has meant various things to completely different individuals. And I feel that’s a part of the enjoyable and the eagerness of it as followers, is arguing about it respectfully.”

“I’ve talked to so many individuals over time, since we made that film, who’ve such deep connections to Star Wars and who’ve deep connections to that film,” Johnson continued. “And so it’s been essentially the most constructive expertise I’ve ever had with something I’ve made, by way of interacting with individuals who’ve seen it. I got here out on the different finish of it loving Star Wars fandom greater than I did even going into it.”

We might by no means know precisely what occurred with Johnson’s Star Wars motion pictures, and, in truth, he often says he’d love to make them one day. However that every one this time later he can look again on the expertise as a constructive is a testomony to why he would have been a terrific individual to entrust these motion pictures to.

You possibly can watch the total dialogue, because of Star Wars Tradition, on the hyperlink beneath. The above quote comes within the final two minutes.

Author/Director @rianjohnson Discusses #StarWars: #TheLastJedi At The Newport Seaside Movie Pageant 🎬 pic.twitter.com/MvJX46xpFl

— Star Wars Tradition (@SWCultureLive) November 5, 2025

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