Rian Johnson’s first Star Wars film was met with extreme divisiveness, and while the director hasn’t made another film in the iconic sci-fi world since, he would feel sad if he never got the chance to again.
Speaking to Insider in a recent interview, Johnson was asked how’d he feel if he never got the chance to direct another Star Wars film. For the director, he said it wouldn’t be “the end of the world,” but that he would still be sad due to his love of the franchise.
“It wouldn’t be the end of the world for anyone, I think,” Johnson said. “But I would be sad. I love the world. I love the people. I love Star Wars fans. I love the passion of how they engage in it. There’s nothing like telling a story in this world and then experiencing people truly connecting to it and letting you know that. It’s extraordinary. I’m hoping I get to do it again, but nothing is the end of the world until the end of the world actually happens, which, what day of the week is it?”
Johnson’s first (and, so far, only) foray into Star Wars came in 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, a film that was met with extremely mixed opinions once it released. While some saw it as a fantastic film and entry into the Star Wars series, others criticized its deviation from the norm and from what some fans might have been expecting. Despite its divisiveness, The Last Jedi still was a smash hit at the box office, earning $1.3 billion worldwide and becoming the second-highest-grossing Star Wars film ever.
Following The Last Jedi, Johnson signed on to direct a trilogy of Star Wars films, but nothing has been heard about their status as of yet. Earlier this year, Johnson said that he hopes the films do happen, and has continued to have talks about it with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.
