We recently released a list of Star Wars movies ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes ratings. While Rogue One was only fifth on that list, many fans would disagree. Maybe it's the recent success of Andor, K-2SO being so awesome, or Darth Vader's hallway scene, but the Rogue One hype train is still running strong.
But its own director—Gareth Edwards—doesn't buy the hype.
"I don't agree with it, but I appreciate it. I'm very grateful that people say nice things. But what's super interesting about it, which you have to keep in your pocket as you go through making other films, is that it's not about how people feel the day it gets released, it's how people feel about it 10, 20 years from now," Edwards told Business Insider.
And while Edwards didn't weigh in on his top Star Wars movie—I'm just going to assume it's The Empire Strikes Back—he did mention a special attachment to the original trilogy. Maybe it's the old man in me talking, but they're easily the best of the bunch when taken together. The originality, the score, the reveals. It's easy to see why they're fan favorites among the...cough...older generation.
But maybe that's the great thing about Star Wars. The movies are different enough that there will always be that tension. Rogue One was more of a war/spy movie than a pure Star Wars one, the prequels were faster than the originals, and the sequel trilogy was...different. Not to mention the shows, the games, the books, and the comics... the Star Wars universe is as big as it is varied. It has something for everyone.
It's like sitting down at a restaurant named Star Wars. Sure, you're not going to like everything on the menu, but there's at least something there you'll want. Don't like the nachos? Have a burger. Don't want a milkshake? Try a smoothie.
In addition to directing Rogue One, Edwards also directed the recently released Jurassic World Rebirth. While it's come out to mixed reviews—Rotten Tomatoes gives it a mediocre 52% critic rating and a slightly better 72% fan rating—it's crushing it at the box office with a $318 million global box office debut. It turns out a movie doesn't have to be great if it's got dinosaurs.
But what's next for Edwards? After successfully directing yet another blockbuster, is there any chance of his return to Star Wars?
"I'm always fascinated by what they're doing. I never stop loving that trilogy, but I'm very happy to move on and do my thing."
It looks like the Star Wars universe is down one director. That's fine, there's always room for more.
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