‘The Last Jedi’ Director Rian Johnson Is ‘Even More Proud’ Of His ‘Star Wars’ Film Now

The Last Jedi's director stands by the Star Wars film!

George Lucas Mark Hamill Luke Skywalker Star Wars The Last Jedi Episode VIII

Calling The Last Jedi divisive might be an understatement, but director Rian Johnson has said he is “even more proud” of his Star Wars entry now than when it first came out.

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi shocked many fans with its portrayal of Luke Skywalker having lost faith in the Jedi Order. The film has found both strong supporters and emboldened detractors, proving one of the most controversial entries in the Star Wars franchise.

Discussing The Last Jedi five years after its release, director Rian Johnson has defended the film and explained that, to him, it is a film about the power of the mythology of Star Wars.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Five Years On

In an interview with Empire, Rian Johnson reflected on the making of The Last Jedi and his approach to the Star Wars mythos.

The film followed on from where The Force Awakens left off, with Daisy Ridley’s Rey finding Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker on the remote world of Ahch-To. Here, Luke reveals the truth of how his new Jedi Order fell and shares his belief that the galaxy no longer needs the Jedi. Ultimately, however, Luke returns to confront the First Order when he realizes the power his story holds.

“I’m even more proud of it five years on,” Rian Johnson says of The Last Jedi, going on to explain:

“When I was up at bat, I really swung at the ball. 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.”

Johnson says the film’s final images of Luke Skywalker are “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.” While The Last Jedi may remain divisive amongst Star Wars fans, its director clearly stands by his vision for the film.

The next Star Wars project from Lucasfilm will be Andor on Disney Plus. Here’s the synopsis:

“The ‘Andor’ series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.”

Andor stars Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, and Genevieve O’Reilly. Tony Gilroy, Dan Gilroy, Stephen Schiff, and Beau Willimon served as the writers of the Star Wars series while Toby Haynes, Susanna White, and Benjamin Caron directed the episodes.

Andor will premiere Disney Plus on September 21, 2022, with three episodes. Stay tuned for all the latest news on the series and the Star Wars franchise, and subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more great video content!

Source: Empire