Movies

Why Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy never happened

BBG News

Despite being a subject of debate among Star Wars fans due to its controversial nature in the Skywalker saga, The Last Jedi is surprisingly rated as the fourth-best Star Wars film by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics praised the film for its daring approach, transforming familiar figures, and portraying Luke Skywalker as a more relatable character, though Mark Hamill himself might challenge that depiction. Regardless of its boldness and substantial support from Lucasfilm, Rian Johnson’s subsequent trilogy failed to materialize.

Now, thanks to a new Johnson sit down with Rolling Stone, we finally know why.

As reported in an Entertainment Weekly article on the interview, Johnson himself stated that there was no significant development regarding it. It appears that following The Last Jedi, Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, had initially proposed Johnson to lead a new trilogy; however, progress seemed to slow down or halt.

He clarified that the experience was more about concepts rather than practicalities. They enjoyed collaborating immensely, and when they suggested continuing their work, he agreed enthusiastically. He often bounced creative thoughts off Kathy.

Instead, the initial cooperation didn’t evolve much past discussions. There were no written scripts or visual representations of “broom boy,” only hazy ideas.

So, what happened exactly?

In simpler terms, the main point is that “Knives Out” was a significant turning point for Johnson, who had previously been associated with the Star Wars franchise. After “The Last Jedi” released in 2017, Johnson directed “Knives Out” (2019), its sequel “Glass Onion”, and created “Poker Face”, a detective series starring Natasha Lyonne. This new direction for his creativity has been very fulfilling for him.

Johnson expressed that if a chance arises in the future to contribute to Star Wars again or try something new, he would be delighted. However, at the moment, he’s busy with his own projects and quite content.

For those eager fans expecting more of Johnson’s exploration in the Star Wars universe, this news might be tough to accept, yet it doesn’t completely rule out the possibility of his future involvement.

To put it simply, the future of Lucasfilm’s cinematic lineup remains uncertain, as numerous possibilities are on the table. After many postponed or abandoned projects, there’s excitement for “The Mandalorian & Grogu” to hit theaters in May 2026, preceded by “Star Wars: Starfighter” in 2027, a standalone film helmed by Shawn Levy and featuring Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth. Lastly, there are whispers of a new trilogy brewing from Simon Kinberg, who has been involved with the X-Men series, but specifics about this project are still scarce.

Johnson has also pondered over the audience’s initial criticism of “The Last Jedi”, stating that with passing time, some harsh opinions have become less pronounced. “I was a college student when the prequels were released,” he recalled. “My peers and I were quite critical… Now, however, the prequels are widely accepted.

In a similar fashion, the loop of dismissal and revival could potentially encompass “The Last Jedi”. If this happens, the trilogy by Rian Johnson may find another life again.

For now, however, the knives are out, just not in space.

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2025-07-19 22:12

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