Director Rian Johnson has declared the pride he feels over his divisive entry into the Star Wars saga, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi. In an interview with Empire, Johnson states that, in the five years since release, he is even prouder of what he did with the iconic mythos now than he was then and is very glad that he took such a swing.
Johnson did indeed really swing at the ball in his installment of the Disney Star Wars sequel trilogy, introducing a version of legendary Jedi Luke Skywalker that audiences did not expect. While some took issue (that’s putting it lightly, considering the reaction from some Star Wars fans) with Luke not being the hero they had imagined, others loved being surprised by what Johnson brought to the long-running franchise.
“I’m even more proud of it five years on. When I was up at bat, I really swung at the ball.”
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And though many walked away from The Last Jedi believing that Rian Johnson did not understand the Star Wars saga, the filmmaker explains that this is far from the case and why the sequel is all about Star Wars itself and what it means to fans. Himself included.
Rian Johnson Defends Luke Skywalker’s Portrayal in The Last Jedi
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
One of the most controversial elements of The Last Jedi is the depiction of Luke Skywalker as a cynical hermit who has turned his back on the Jedi, the Force, and the galaxy. Following a brief moment of weakness which saw Luke consider ending the darkness in his nephew Ben Solo before it can begin, Luke leaves it all behind before emerging once again as a Jedi hero during the finale of The Last Jedi.
“I think it’s impossible for any of us to approach Star Wars without thinking about it as a myth that we were raised with, and how that myth, that story, baked itself into us and affected us. The ultimate intent was not to strip away – the intent was to get to the basic, fundamental power of myth. And ultimately I hope the film is an affirmation of the power of the myth of Star Wars in our lives.”
The split between critics, audiences, and within the Star Wars fanbase is now cemented in cinematic history. But, perhaps one day, more will come around to Johnson’s unexpected take on the story of a galaxy far, far away.
“The final images of the movie, to me, are not deconstructing the myth of Luke Skywalker, they’re building it, and they’re him embracing it. They’re him absolutely defying the notion of, ‘Throw away the past,’ and embracing what actually matters about his myth and what’s going to inspire the next generation. So for me, the process of stripping away is always in the interest of getting to something essential that really matters.”
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has since teased a return to the world and characters of the Disney trilogy, as well as revealing that a new trilogy spearheaded by Rian Johnson is still on the cards. For now, Johnson is busy crafting sequels to his 2019 whodunnit hit, Knives Out, with the first follow-up, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, set to be released by Netflix on December 23, 2022.
