The Star Wars franchise has had a fascinating life over the past few years. Once Disney acquired Lucasfilm, plenty of new content has arrived, on the big screen and small. The current trilogy has dominated at the box office, with generations of moviegoers heading to theaters with each new release. Director Rian Johnson helmed The Last Jedi, creating a subversive movie that polarized fans and impressed the studio. While he's expected to develop another Star Wars movie, Johnson has also been shutting down rumors.
The future of the Star Wars franchise is largely a mystery, at least regarding its life on the big screen. The studio hasn't revealed its plans after The Rise of Skywalker completes the Skywalker Saga, although Rian Johnson should eventually be working on his own project. Some rumors indicated that he might have already been granted a full trilogy of his own, but the filmmaker responded, saying:
Every single day there’s a new thing. Until it’s up on StarWars.com, don’t believe it.
Well, that's pretty cut and dry. Rian Johnson seems to have seen endless rumors about his future in the galaxy far, far away. And he wants to put them to bed, encouraging fans to seek information from the official source.
Rian Johnson's comments to Variety are pretty cut and dry. It looks like there haven't been any steps forward regarding his possible Star Wars movie. Certainly not enough to green light and entire trilogy for the Knives Out director. While he's still expected to return to the beloved space opera at some point, it seems that previous reports were premature.
Related: Why Rian Johnson Is Thankful For Negative Star Wars: The Last Jedi Comments
This latest update makes a great deal of sense, considering how busy things are for both Lucasfilm and Rian Johnson. The Star Wars franchise is currently focused on the release of The Rise of Skywalker, as well as The Mandalorian on Disney+. Meanwhile, Rian Johnson just finished promoting his murder mystery comedy Knives Out, which had a strong box office performance over the Thanksgiving holiday. As such, there hasn't really been time for them so sort out Johnson's future with the long-running franchise.
Rian Johnson does seem like a great filmmaker to complete the Star Wars franchise after the Skywalker Saga ends. Johnson has a clear vision and point of view, one that could lend itself well to a Star Wars movie that isn't as connected to the larger franchise. His work in The Last Jedi showed that he was willing to take creative risks, and have a unique spin on the beloved property. But just what he has up his sleeve remains a mystery for the time being.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th, and Knives Out is showing now. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies. And our 2020 release list to look ahead toward the New Year.
