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The Star Wars franchise has entertained moviegoers for decades, with George Lucas' colorful galaxy being passed down across the generations. And when Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the galaxy far, far away returned to theaters with the sequel trilogy. But these movies have faced some backlash from the fandom, especially Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi. And now legendary Yoda icon Frank Oz has clapped back when one hater came for Johnson online.
Frank Oz's name is synonymous with his work on the Muppets, as well as his tenure playing Yoda in the Star Wars franchise. After making his debut in Empire Strikes back, he's voice the little green Jedi Master in the prequels, video games, and various animated series. Yoda had a surprising return in The Last Jedi, which remains the most divisive installment in the property thus far. And when someone on social media posted a message to Johnson on social media, Oz defended the filmmaker, saying:
Spoken, Yoda has. And he didn't mince words. Because while Frank Oz has heard his fair share of criticisms for Star Wars: The Last Jedi since the movie arrived in theaters in 2017, he's clearly got strong feelings about how that movie has been received by the Star Wars fandom. And he made those thoughts known via an epic clap back on social media.
Frank Oz offered his thoughts about Star Wars: The Last Jedi's backlash over on his personal Twitter page. The 76 year-old actor/puppeteer uses social media to update the fandom on his various projects, including his longstanding gig on the galaxy far, far away as Yoda. But when Rian Johnson was the subject of online hate due to his work on Episode VIII, Oz used his platform to defend the filmmaker and throw some shade at the troll who was throwing stones at Johnson.
Frank Oz's time in the Star Wars franchise is available to re-watch on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
When Star Wars: The Last Jedi hit theaters in December of 2017, the blockbuster was the subject of much backlash. Rian Johnson purposefully subverted fan expectations with his Star Wars debut, and some fans took umbrage with these bold narrative choices. As a result, the filmmaker got a ton of hate online, as did Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran.
Despite the backlash, various figures in the Star Wars franchise have come to the defense of Rian Johnson's work in The Last Jedi. This includes cast members like Frank Oz, who appreciated the way Johnson kept the fandom on their toes. What's more, the folks at Lucasfilm seemed happy with the filmmaker's work, as he's expected to develop another big screen adventure for the franchise, this time separate from the nine-film Skywalker Saga.
Rian Johnson is expected to work on his Knives Out sequel before diving back into the galaxy far, far away, so the Star Wars fandom will have to wait longer before the property returns to the big screen. Luckily, the franchise continues to grow thanks to live-action series on Disney+. Although Johnson will still be facing backlash for The Last Jedi regardless- to the dismay of Frank Oz.
The Mandalorian is currently in the midst of Season 2 over on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.
