After two years of waiting, Star Wars: The Last Jedi finally hits theaters next Friday. With it will come the answers to all, or hopefully at least some, of our questions. While everyone is foaming at the mouth to see what is in this film, there is already the question of what isn't. As with any film there are inevitably things that are sacrificed and left on the cutting room floor. This opens up the exciting possibility of a director's cut that represents the filmmaker's true vision for the film. Although we all want as much Star Wars as we can get Rian Johnson explained why we won't be getting a director's cut of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
I'm really not into [releasing an extended cut]. I feel like the cut is what it is because I feel like it's the best version of the movie, so the 'director's cut' is the movie that's going out in theaters. All the deleted scenes, no matter how much I love them, they came out for a reason and it's all for the greater good of the movie itself. You can watch the deleted scenes on their own, I think that's the way to watch them, but the movie is definitely the best version of the movie I think.
At first blush, a director's cut of The Last Jedi sounds wonderful and fans may be disappointed to hear this. But Rian Johnson's commemt to Collider is actually really encouraging and should have everyone even more pumped, if that's possible, for next Friday. What Rian Johnson is saying is that what we will see in theaters is the best and truest version of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Just because his original cut was longer doesn't mean it was better. The film as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts and that doesn't necessarily mean you have to use all the parts. We are already getting the longest Star Wars movie ever and all of the awesome deleted scenes and sequences from the film, some of which Rian Johnson calls his favorites, will still be on the eventual Blu-ray release. There won't be a director's cut because the theatrical version of Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the director's cut.
There has been a lot of talk of late about ownership over a film and the need for director's cuts that represent an uncompromised vision. Lucasfilm hasn't had the smoothest experience with their Star Wars directors but Rian Johnson is an exception. This film has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in it with probably billions more up for grabs. The fact that the film Rian Johnson wanted to make is what we will be seeing on screen is amazing and speaks to Disney's confidence in the finished product. It also bodes extremely well for Rian Johnson's future forays into that galaxy far far away. This isn't some case of filmmaking by committee or studio interference or mandated runtimes. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is Rian Johnson's film.
So while it may seem like a bummer that we won't get a director's cut of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, rest assured that the version you will see is the best version of the film. Besides, everyone knows that director's cuts aren't canon in Star Wars. Star Wars: The Last Jedi blasts into theaters next Friday, December 15th. You can pre-order your tickets for opening weekend now.
