Rian Johnson, the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has publicly addressed comments made by Kathleen Kennedy, the outgoing president of Lucasfilm. In a recent statement, Kennedy suggested that Johnson was deterred from pursuing further Star Wars projects because he felt overwhelmed by negative feedback online. She articulated this during an interview with Deadline, indicating that Johnson had originally planned to create his own trilogy but changed direction after facing backlash from fans.
In response to this assertion, Johnson took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), sharing a succinct and rather dismissive retort: "lol zero spooked, sorry." This reaction highlights his stance against the notion that online criticism has affected his enthusiasm for the franchise.
Kennedy elaborated on her views, expressing that Johnson's commitment to his Netflix deal and subsequent work on the Knives Out films occupied much of his time. However, she also emphasized that he might have been intimidated by the negativity surrounding The Last Jedi. "I believe Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He's an exceptional filmmaker, yet I think he became frightened by the backlash. It’s a tough aspect of this industry. Many creators share their concerns with me, asking, 'What can I expect?' They often feel anxious about potential criticisms," she remarked.
This isn't the first time Johnson has opened up about the challenges he faced while working on Star Wars. In December 2025, he shared that his vision for The Last Jedi was to challenge conventional expectations and provoke thought among fans, rather than merely delivering a safe, familiar narrative. "Being a long-time Star Wars enthusiast myself, I understand the pushback that comes when something disrupts the status quo. I recognize the internal conflicts within the fanbase. However, the greatest mistake would be to approach it with caution—"kid gloves," as they say," Johnson explained in an interview with Polygon.
Moreover, Johnson's plans for a Star Wars trilogy are not the only projects that seem unlikely to materialize. In her Deadline interview, Kennedy also hinted at the scrapped idea of a Ben Solo film featuring Adam Driver, stating, "Anything could be possible if someone is willing to take that risk."
Looking ahead, fans can anticipate new content from the Star Wars universe in 2026, such as a movie centered around The Mandalorian and Grogu, a spin-off from the popular Disney+ series. Additionally, in 2027, there is a standalone film titled Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, on the horizon.
Simon Cardy, a Senior Editor at IGN, often immerses himself in open-world video games or enjoys Korean cinema in his spare time, while also keeping a watchful eye on the performance of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. You can find him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
