The Star Wars films are sprawling and dramatic space operas, but they are also chock full of some great comedy, as well. That said, most of what we have seen from the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi looks pretty grim and dire. This raises the question of whether or not the final film is as morose as the trailers have led us to believe. According to Rian Johnson, we can rest easy knowing that there will definitely be plenty of humor thrown in for good measure to keep it light. The director addressed the presence of comedy in his Star Wars film and said:
I think it's very funny. The trailers have been kind of dark -- the movie has that, but I also made a real conscious effort for it to be a riot. I want it to have all the things tonally that I associate with Star Wars, which is not just the Wagner of it. It's also the Flash Gordon.
That idea has become firmly ingrained in the DNA of Star Wars. George Lucas cribbed quite a bit from classic sci-fi properties, and the man behind the franchise has specifically cited the more lighthearted Flash Gordon as a primary source of inspiration for his original vision. To make a Star Wars movie and skew away from comedy would arguably go against the core thesis of the franchise, so Rian Johnson made sure to include as much comedy as possible; we just haven't seen much of it in the trailers yet. In the simplest of terms: we can look forward to a film that won't completely embrace that dark and gritty atmosphere that has characterized other blockbuster franchises.
Based on Rian Johnson's remarks about The Last Jedi's comedic elements to Rolling Stone, it will be interesting to see how he balances tone to make the lighter moments work alongside the darker ones. By his own admission, the trailers for the film have sold it as one of the darker entries in the Star Wars canon -- with possible matricide and turns to the Dark Side teased throughout the marketing. We already know the director plans on including the adorable, puffin-inspired Porgs, and John Boyega will likely continue to provide a certain amount of comic relief as Finn, but the marketing for the film has skillfully managed to keep most of the other jokes hidden from sight.
Of course, it will take quite a bit to live up to the comedy established in other Star Wars films. From Chewbacca taking over an Imperial walker during the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi to K-2SO's endless wisecracking in last year's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the franchise has a long history of seamlessly blending comedy into its drama. Rian Johnson has officially promised some solid laughs in Episode VIII, so we will just have to wait and see if it can deliver.
On that note, we don't have too much longer to wait until we laugh, cry, and have our minds thoroughly blown by The Last Jedi. Rian Johnson's Star Wars movie will make its grand theatrical debut on December 15, so make sure to get your tickets now and start gearing up for the latest Star Wars adventure!
