There are major movie franchises, and then there's the Star Wars movies. Generations were brought up on the galaxy far far away, which has continued expanding in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Lucasfilm is going through some big changes, as Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as President. And The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson recently explained why that leadership pivot is "exciting" for him as a fan.
Fans are always looking forward to upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, and the franchise is in a unique place currently. It's been missing from theaters since The Rise of Skywalker's ending, but there are some exciting projects in development. In an interview with Variety at Sundance, Johnson spoke about Kennedy's departure, and the possibilities that might open up. In his words:
I love Kathy. I am excited now to see what she does next. As a Star Wars fan, the most exciting thing for me is always seeing when they bring in fresh voices and fresh filmmakers to come in and tell new stories in that world. That’s what I am looking forward to seeing more happen.
Some points were made. While Johnson doesn't have anything negative to say about his experience working with Kennedy on his subversive masterpiece The Last Jedi, as a fan he seems excited about what possibilities new leadership might bring for the epic space opera. After all, she served as president for a whopping 14 years.
Johnson's work in The Last Jedi was originally the subject of some backlash, thanks to bold narrative swings like making Rey no one and the handling of Luke's character. While Kennedy claimed this scared him off from the franchise, the Knives Out director painted another picture in the same interview at Sundance. In his words:
I had the time of my life doing it. I am now an even bigger Star Wars fan than I was when going into it. I would feel blessed if that were to ever happen [again].
After The Last Jedi was released, reports came out that Rian Johnson was planning his on Star Wars trilogy. Unfortunately these projects haven't really moved forward, with him instead focusing on the Knives Out movies and the series Poker Face (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription). But it sounds like he'd still like to return to the franchise at some point. Fingers crossed it happens with the new president of Lucasfilm.
While we wait for news about Rian Johnson's future, there are some plans for Star Wars to return to the big screen. The first title that will do this is The Mandalorian and Grogu, which hits theaters May 22nd as part of the 2026 movie release list. It'll be followed by Shawn Levy's Starfighter, which will follow suit in May of the next year.
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