Rian Johnson will not be involved with Star Wars: Episode IX

Rian Johnson — director and writer for The Last Jedi — confirms that he will not be involved with Star Wars: Episode IX.

With the recent buzz surrounding The Last Jedi and the now titled Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: Episode IX now wants to join in on the fun, with Rian Johnson recently revealing to The Hollywood Reporter that he will not be involved with the final installment of the latest trilogy:

"Each new film hopefully re-contextualizes what came before it. That’s part of the game. Yes, it’s a continuation of not only The Force Awakens but also of the legacy leading up to it. J.J. Abrams is doing a third movie. I’m not involved in it. They’ll be writing their own story but continuing on with what we did."

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Initially, my thoughts on Abrams taking over for the concluding film of the trilogy did not sit well with me, where I wanted something new and fresh. Now, adding to the fact that Johnson — who is my favorite director — is not going to be involved at all, is a double whammy worth of bad news. After thinking it over the past few days though, my initial thoughts have shifted towards a more positive point of view, knowing that Episode IX is in great hands. Even though Johnson will not be directly involved with the next saga film, his influence will be. Plus, Abrams is the perfect person to bring in to fill the shoes of that vacant director’s role, since he created the new characters — Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn, and Poe — with the chance to close out this story arc the right way. Abrams has been criticized for not being creative enough with The Force Awakens, but he is not to blame for the direction of that film, with Lucasfilm (likely) wanting to play things safe, delivering a film that was similar and familiar to the Original Trilogy.

I’ve always loved the creativity of Abrams, with the show Lost as a prime example. He was also one of the lead writers for the 90’s drama show Felicity, which had much depth and character development, showing off his incredible writing skills. I believe he will do the same with Episode IX, where Lucasfilm will take of the restraints, letting him be his full, creative self once again.

Next: Taiwanese subtitles for The Last Jedi trailer reveal major clues

Star Wars: Episode IX is now set for a December 2019 release, but first things first. The Last Jedi hits theaters in less than two months now, on December 15, a perfect way to kick off the holiday season.

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