Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, kickstarting the Star Wars franchise back up in the process. Since then, a new trilogy of main movies have been produced, as well as two standalone films. The galaxy far, far away will continue expanding after The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters, with The Mandalorian series as well as two developing trilogies. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is behind one of those projects. But the filmmaker's recent comments may cause some doubt on the subject.
Rian Johnson directed the most subversive installment in the long-running property with The Last Jedi. He made bold creative choices, and purposefully did the opposite of what fans were expecting. Lucasfilm seemingly approved of these choices, as they gave him his own series of movies to develop within the Star Wars franchise. But when Johnson was recently asked about those plans, they didn't seem exactly set in stone. As the filmmaker put it:
Well we'll see. I'm still talking to Lucasfilm, they're figuring out what they're doing and we'll see what happens. But I'd be thrilled if it happens, and I'm working on my own stuff too.
Yikes. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence, as it seems that negotiations and development for Rian Johnson's possible Star Wars movies are still in the early stages. Because given how the business of the film world works, any number of things could prevent this partnership from happening.
Rian Johnson's comments to Bang Showbiz might give Star Wars fans reason to pause, at least regarding how they thought the future of the franchise would look. The stakes have never been higher for the property, as the upcoming release of The Rise of Skywalker will complete the nine-film narrative that began with A New Hope. J.J. Abrams is tasked with giving the galaxy as we know it an ending, while Lucasfilm must also plan for the future of the beloved franchise.
While The Mandalorian will break new ground as a live-action Star Wars TV series, the property is still synonymous with its big screen adventures. With the long running narrative wrapping up with The Rise of Skywalker, the narrative possibilities are seemingly endless regarding the next phase of storytelling. Rian Johnson seems like a great choice, as The Last Jedi showed how he could put an original spin on the universe. So cinephiles will have to keep their fingers crossed that the negotiations and timing work out to keep Johnson involved.
Related: Rian Johnson Explains The Timing Of His Star Wars Trilogy
Of course, Rian Johnson isn't the only filmmaker attempting to map out the future of the Star Wars franchise. Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have also been tasked with developing new installments for the space opera. But like with Johnson, not much has been revealed regarding that possible trilogy's fate. But with the impending releases of Episode IX and The Mandalorian, perhaps Lucasfilm has its hands full at this point.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters on December 20th, and The Mandalorian will be available to stream on Disney+ on November 12th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
