Director Rian Johnson has officially addressed the long-standing speculation regarding his feelings toward The Rise of Skywalker, stating he felt no resentment despite the film reversing several creative choices established in his 2017 blockbuster, Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
A Collaborative Perspective on Storytelling
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Johnson reflected on his tenure within the Star Wars franchise and his reaction to J.J. Abrams’ follow-up film. Addressing the narrative pivots—specifically regarding Rey’s lineage and other plot points that appeared to retcon his work—Johnson maintained that he viewed the sequel as a continuation rather than a personal undoing of his vision.
“When I saw the movie, I had a great time watching it. Again, this is all about point of view. I never approach this as, like, a territory I’m carving out for my thing,” Johnson explained. He noted that he believes Abrams was simply telling the most compelling story possible, which necessitated recontextualizing previous events to evolve the narrative forward.
Friendship Over Franchise Rivalry
Johnson emphasized that his connection to the project was personal, given his professional relationships with the cast and crew. “I didn’t feel resentful in some way. But you’re talking about a movie made by my friends, with my friends in it. I sit down to watch a movie, and it’s a Star Wars movie. It’s all stuff I love,” he added, distancing himself from the intense online debates that have surrounded the sequel trilogy.
The Creative Process Behind the Trilogy
The director also clarified that his own process on The Last Jedi was never intended to undermine J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens. Johnson revealed that he and Abrams maintained open lines of communication during the production phase.
“We communicated. We met and I spent days with him and was able to get into his head and all the choices he had made,” said Johnson. He described his goal as taking the characters and foundations laid by Abrams and pushing them to their next logical steps. Reflecting on his initial directive from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Johnson noted that he took the task of creating the “Empire Strikes Back” of the series with immense seriousness, aiming to capture the spirit of the original trilogy’s evolution rather than simply providing fan service.
