Rian Johnson, the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has responded to Kathleen Kennedy's claim that he was deterred from making more Star Wars films due to online negativity. Johnson's reaction was concise yet impactful: 'lol zero spooked, sorry'. This response comes in the wake of Kennedy's interview with Deadline, where she attributed Johnson's decision to step away from his planned Star Wars trilogy to the intense online backlash he received for The Last Jedi. Kennedy mentioned that Johnson's focus on his Netflix deal and the Knives Out films occupied a significant portion of his time, and that he was 'spooked' by the online negativity. Johnson, however, has consistently expressed his desire to challenge fan expectations and shake up the Star Wars franchise. In a previous interview, he stated that his goal for The Last Jedi was to 'shake the box' and avoid serving up the same old story. He also highlighted the potential for infighting within the Star Wars community and emphasized the importance of not handling projects with kid gloves. Despite the challenges, Johnson remains committed to his vision for the Star Wars universe. It's worth noting that Johnson's Star Wars trilogy is not the only project that has been put on hold. Kennedy also mentioned the abandoned plans for a Ben Solo movie starring Adam Driver, indicating that the Star Wars franchise continues to evolve and adapt to new ideas and risks.
