Rian Johnson's recent comments about Kathleen Kennedy’s assertion regarding his relationship with the Star Wars franchise reveal a frank perspective on the situation. As the director of Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, which premiered in 2017, Johnson faced a significant divide among fans. Kennedy, in a recent interview with Deadline while announcing her departure from her role as president of Lucasfilm, suggested that the backlash to The Last Jedi might have deterred Johnson from pursuing further projects within the Star Wars universe.
In her words, "He got spooked by the online negativity," implying that he was rattled by the criticisms aimed at his film. However, Johnson quickly shot down this notion in a post on X, stating simply, "lol zero spooked, sorry," indicating that he was not deterred by the negative responses.
Kennedy also pointed to Johnson’s commitments with Netflix, where he is developing two additional films in the Knives Out series, as a factor in his absence from future Star Wars endeavors. The second installment, titled Wake Up Dead Man, is set to be released in December 2025. She went on to commend Johnson’s work on Star Wars, saying, "I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He’s a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked. This is the rough part. When people come into this space, I have every filmmaker and actor say to me, 'What’s going to happen?' They’re a little scared."
The Last Jedi has undeniably become one of the most controversial entries in the Star Wars saga, yet it achieved impressive commercial success, grossing over $1.332 billion globally, ranking as the second-highest-grossing film in Disney's sequel trilogy. While some fans criticized its portrayal of beloved characters like Luke Skywalker, overall critical reception was largely positive, with the film holding an impressive 91% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, despite a lower audience score of 41% on the Popcornmeter.
This film, which features new protagonists like Rey, Finn, and Poe facing off against Kylo Ren and the First Order, initially led to exciting announcements about Johnson directing a new Star Wars trilogy. Unfortunately, after years without any developments, reports last November indicated that this trilogy was "effectively dead."
Despite his lack of immediate plans to return to the Star Wars franchise, Johnson continues to explore new creative avenues. Recently, he hinted at ideas for a potential Knives Out 4 and mentioned in an interview with Empire that his next project would draw inspiration from '70s paranoid thrillers intertwined with light science fiction elements.
Nevertheless, Johnson did convey to The Hollywood Reporter that "A part of my brain will always be in Star Wars. It’s so much a part of me and the way I think." Although there are no current plans for him to revisit the Star Wars universe, it’s evident that the reactions to The Last Jedi have not dissuaded him from the possibility of returning to this iconic franchise someday.
