The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson denies being "spooked" by angry Star Wars fans: "lol"

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The filmmaker previously said that he would be "happiest person" if he got to return to Star Wars

Rian Johnson at the Poker Face season 2 premiere
(Image credit: Getty Images (Emma McIntyre/WireImage))

Rian Johnson has denied feeling "spooked" after the divisive reaction to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, as former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recently suggested. Kennedy, who stepped down as head of the franchise last week after a 14-year tenure, said that Johnson took a step back from Star Wars because of "online negativity", noting that he "got spooked."

"I do believe he got spooked by the online negativity. 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 actors say to me, 'What's going to happen?' They're a little scared," she said.

In the comments, the divisiveness created by The Last Jedi felt as fierce as ever, even a decade after its release. "They should have given you all three films," wrote one fan, with another adding: "Your Star Wars was the best of the sequel trilogy. By far. Loved it very much." Elsewhere, other users claimed Johnson "ruined Star Wars" and they're "still waiting for an apology."

In our Star Wars: The Last Jedi review, we gave the film five stars, calling it "an excellent middle chapter bursting with wit, wisdom, emotion, shocks, old-fashioned derring-do, state-of-the-art tech, and stonking set-pieces."

Johnson was set to direct another trilogy in the franchise, but he decided to focus on his Knives Out saga and other projects like Poker Face instead. "I mean, I kind of went down the murder mystery rabbit hole – I'm focused on making other stuff," he said last year. "But that wouldn't rule out it happening down the line. If I get back in the Star Wars universe someday, I'd be the happiest person."

Next up for Star Wars is The Mandalorian and Grogu, which arrives this May 22. It will be followed by Star Wars: Starfighter in 2027, which stars Ryan Gosling, Matt Smith, and Mia Goth.

For more from a galaxy far, far away, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows.

Mireia Mullor
Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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