As we’ve said many times before: take any Star Wars rumor with a grain of salt until Lucasfilm makes an official announcement. Still, when a knowledgeable and respected journalist from US Today like Sariah Wilson says something, there’s a strong likelihood of truth behind her words. So when she tells us that the Rian Johnson Star Wars trilogy is still happening, we pause to consider it. And at this stage of the game, maybe, just maybe, his trilogy could be good for Star Wars.
WAIT, wait, hear me out. Look, I’ve made no secret of the fact that I find The Last Jedi to be among the worst entries of the entire Skywalker saga. But my main complaint, as was the complaint of many others, centered on Rian Johnson departing from the franchise norm. He decided to be “different” and take Star Wars in a “new direction.” That wasn’t the problem. The problem was that he did it with established and beloved characters, Luke Skywalker especially. When even Mark Hamill gets vocal about how you’re treating the character he’s played for over four decades, that’s an issue. BUT… and it’s a big “but,” but…. Would Johnson’s vision have the same, deleterious effect with a story unencumbered by Star Wars history?
Could a Rian Johnson trilogy actually be good for Star Wars?
I was initially reluctant to see Knives Out as my ire for Johnson and The Last Jedi still lingered. Eventually I abandoned my self-ban from Rian Johnson and watched it. And I enjoyed it. It was good film, actually. For me it was proof that he could actually write and direct, outside the constraints of Star Wars and the Skywalker saga in particular, quite well. So let’s take existing Star Wars and the name Skywalker out of the equation. Could his proposed/rumored/possibly eventual trilogy be good?
I used to be firmly entrenched in the “keep Rian Johnson away from Star Wars” camp. There is, however, a big “what if” when it comes to unleashing him with new characters. Or new timelines. New locations, new stories, new, well, everything. It worked for The Mandalorian, after all. (Although, even that surprised us with a huge Luke Skywalker cameo. Still….) I suppose time will tell, if/when his trilogy every gets off the ground.
What do you think? Could Rian Johnson make a good Star Wars story free from the constraints of the Skywalker saga? Let us know your thoughts below.
Source: Sariah Wilson/Twitter
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