Rian Johnson has been tied to a new Star Wars trilogy for what feels like an eternity now. It was first announced by Lucasfilm President, Kathleen Kennedy, before Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released in cinemas.
I remember that at the time, people were excited to see what Johnson could do with his own Star Wars trilogy. This new trilogy was going to be separate from the Skywalker saga, which I personally was really looking forward to watching.
However, then The Last Jedi was released in cinemas, and it was an incredibly divisive Star Wars movie. The fandom was split. Some people loved it, and a lot of people hated it. Many people thought it was just OK.
That said, what was definitely the case was that the movie put the Star Wars franchise in a really tricky position, especially when it came to the conclusion of the sequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams had real issues writing and directing The Rise Of Skywalker.
They ended up going back to Emperor Palpatine, which I think was a mistake, but it seems as though Abrams and co. thought there was no other way out of the hole that Johnson’s movie landed them in.
What’s going on with Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy?
Credit: Lucasfilm
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We recently heard reports that Disney and Lucasfilm had scrapped Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron Star Wars movie. That was quickly followed up with the news that they had also shelved Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie, which was a shame.
Michael Waldron, the writer of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, had been tapped to pen that movie’s script. However, they aren’t moving forward with it anymore.
The only Star Wars movies that were still ‘officially’ in development were Taika Waititi’s movie, the film that Lost creator, Damon Lindelof, was writing and then Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy.
However, we have now learned that Lindelof has left his Star Wars project. That movie is still in development. However, Lindelof won’t be writing it anymore.
We also learned that Waititi wants to star in his movie set in a galaxy far, far away, which was kind of to be expected. He loves to star in his own stuff.
Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy has been scrapped by Lucasfilm
Credit: Lucasfilm
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According to our sources, it looks like Disney and Lucasfilm have decided to pull the plug on Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, mainly because there has been so little movement on his trilogy for a while now.
“The last I’ve heard, Disney has given Johnson’s trilogy the axe,” said an insider about Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy.
They went on to add the following:
It’s been problematic for Disney and Lucasfilm as they love Johnson and his work, but they just cannot get passed the fans’ poor reaction to The Last Jedi.
The insider then added that “both parties are in agreement that the best thing to do is to move on and part ways”.
The filmmaker is extremely busy at the moment, and it looks like he’s going to be tied up with other projects for the next few years. He’s doing very well with his Knives Out movies. Glass Onion, which is his second movie set in the Knives Out universe, was released on Netflix towards the end of 2022, and it was extremely well received by critics and Netflix subscribers alike.
Lucasfilm moving away from the past, looking towards the future?
Credit: Lucasfilm
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He’s now working on the script for the third Knives Out movie, and he’s also going to be an executive producer on Netflix’s upcoming sci-fi series, The Three-Body Problem, which I have a feeling is going to be huge for the streamer.
He also created, wrote and directed Peacock’s very popular new limited series, Poker Face, which stars the likes of Natasha Lyonne, Adrien Brody, Simon Helberg and Benjamin Bratt.
It’s slightly depressing to hear that Johnson won’t be working in the Star Wars galaxy, at least for now. However, I’m sure that there are many fans out there who will be pleased to hear that he won’t get to make his Star Wars trilogy.
On a personal note, I think he could have done something very special with a three-movie story arc. That said, Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, did recently reveal that they are going to be more cautious with their upcoming Star Wars movies.
It seems as though they have opted to move away from Johnson, and in doing so, maybe moving away from the past, namely, the hugely negative fan reaction to his movie, The Last Jedi.
This all came after Johnson revealed that he was interested in staying in the Star Wars universe during an interview with Empire. Here’s what he had to say on the matter back in August 2022.
It would break my heart if I were finished if I couldn’t get back in that sandbox at some point.
Johnson then revealed back then that the issue wasn’t funding or intention but rather, “a matter of schedule and when it can happen.”
He echoed this in a subsequent interview with Variety, confirming that he:
talked to Kathy [Kathleen Kennedy] about it, and we’re still talking about it…I had such an amazing experience making The Last Jedi. It’s entirely a matter of scheduling. For me, putting [Glass Onion] out and making the next one of these…the answer is I don’t know.
Moreover, Johnson has made no secret that he still wants to make the Star Wars movies he first announced back in 2017 before the release of The Last Jedi, and Kennedy has been clear that Lucasfilm still wants him, too.
However, Johnson’s immediate priorities — continuing his Benoit Blanc movies with Daniel Craig for Netflix and Season 2 of the hit Peacock series Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne — will keep him occupied for the foreseeable future.
We have contacted Rian Johnson’s representation, Disney and Lucasfilm for comment on this story. They declined.
What do you make of this report? Are you upset to hear that Rian Johnson’s Star Wars trilogy has been scrapped by Lucasfilm? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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There is litterly no information in the entire article that supports this. Honestly for a site that claims to be honest with the articles this is litterly the most vague and misinformed one about a movie I have seen yet. I am honestly suprised it was approved for publication here.
I’ve been watching insider info on YouTube, and hearing about this for some time. Personally, I am elated that Johnson’s trilogy is going away after the steaming pile of crap that The Last Jedi was.
You’re kidding, right? “I’m slightly depressed Johnson is being removed from Star Wars”. Rian Johnson, outside of Kathleen Kennedy, is the WORST thing to happen to Star Wars. The Last Jedi was the ULTIMATE FAILURE of all Star Wars projects. There’s not even a close second. I bet if you ask Rian Johnson who George Lucas is, he’d say “George who?”