CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
As far as movie franchises go, there are none quite as huge and beloved as Star Wars. George Lucas' colorful world has been entertaining moviegoers for decades, with entire generations of moviegoers brought up on the galaxy far, far away. Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm brought forth plenty of new content, including the sequel trilogy, which was helmed by both J.J. Abrams directing a pair of movies separated by Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi. There's been some rumors about a feud between the two filmmakers, but The Rise of Skywalker's writer recently shut down those reports.
Chris Terrio collaborated with J.J. Abrams to write Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which covered a ton of ground. That includes moving on from the events of The Last Jedi, where Rian Johnson had subverted expectations and made some bold narrative choices. This disconnect is likely why some fans thought the two directors were feuding. But Terrio addressed those rumors, saying:
Those people who see it as a meta-argument between J.J. and Rian are missing the point, I think. At the end of The Last Jedi, Luke has changed. I think it would be a bad misreading to think that that was somehow me and J.J. having an argument with Rian. It was more like we were in dialogue with Rian by using what Luke did at the beginning of The Last Jedi to now say that history will not repeat itself and all these characters have grown.
Well, that certainly clears things up. It looks like there was never an disagreements happening between the team of The Rise of Skywalker and Rian Johnson. On the contrary, there was some collaboration and conversation between Chris Terrio, J.J. Abrams and the Last Jedi director.
Star Wars fans can currently re-watch the Skywalker Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.
Chris Terrio's comments to THR helps to pull back the curtain on the development of Star Wars movies. While its a property that is very personal to the massive fandom, each blockbuster is ultimately made by filmmakers trying to do their best. J.J. Abrams was given with a particularly daunting task with The Rise of Skywalker, as he had to craft an ending to wrap up the entire Star Wars franchise as we know it.
Related: 5 Star Wars Moments That Prove J.J. Abrams And Rian Johnson Were Not On The Same Page
In order to find the appropriate ending for Episode IX, J.J. Abrams ended up having a discussion with Rian Johnson about the changes he made to Luke Skywalker and other characters. This allowed him to write for that new version of Luke, who appeared in The Rise of Skywalker as a Force Ghost.
J.J. Abrams did negate some of the narrative choices made in The Last Jedi throughout the course of The Rise of Skywalker. Rey's true parentage was revealed, and Rose Tico's romantic connection with Finn was written out. In fact, Rose appeared for a shockingly small amount of time on screen.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
