Rian Johnson Responds to Kathleen Kennedy’s Claims About His Relationship with Star Wars
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson has spoken out against Kathleen Kennedy’s claims about his relationship with the franchise. Johnson’s 2017 entry in the saga was met with a divided response from audiences, and Kennedy recently suggested that this reaction is why the filmmaker hasn’t returned to make more Star Wars movies.
Johnson took to X to respond to Kennedy’s comments, writing: “lol zero spooked, sorry.” This response suggests that Johnson doesn’t agree with Kennedy’s assessment of his relationship with the franchise. Kennedy had stated that Johnson “got spooked” by the online negativity surrounding The Last Jedi, and that this is why he hasn’t returned to the franchise.
Kennedy’s Comments and Johnson’s Response
Kennedy also attributed Johnson’s lack of a return to Star Wars to his deal with Netflix to write and direct two additional Knives Out films. The executive praised Johnson’s work on The Last Jedi, saying: “I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He’s a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked.” However, Johnson’s response suggests that he doesn’t feel intimidated by the online backlash against The Last Jedi.
Despite the divided response to The Last Jedi, the film was still a massive commercial success, grossing over $1.332 billion worldwide. The film also received generally positive reviews from critics, with a 91% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. The success of The Last Jedi led to news that Johnson would helm a separate Star Wars trilogy, but years passed with seemingly no progress, and the trilogy was declared “effectively dead” in a THR report last November.
Johnson’s Future Plans and Relationship with Star Wars
Despite Johnson’s recent post, there don’t appear to be any firm plans for him to revisit Star Wars anytime soon. The filmmaker is currently working on other projects, including a potential Knives Out 4 and a new film that “harkens back to the ’70s paranoid thrillers” with a “light sci-fi element.” However, Johnson has stated that “a part of my brain will always be in Star Wars” and that the franchise is “so much a part of me and the way I think.”
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker looking fierce in Star Wars The Last Jedi
While Johnson may not be imminently returning to the world of Star Wars, his response to Kennedy’s comments suggests that he is still open to revisiting the franchise in the future. The success of The Last Jedi and Johnson’s passion for the franchise make it likely that he will return to the Star Wars universe at some point, although it’s unclear what form this will take.
Release Date December 13, 2017
Runtime 152 minutes
