Rian Johnson Admits Dislike for Star Wars Prequels Amid Franchise Reflection

Rian Johnson, director of 2017's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, revealed that his initially planned Star Wars trilogy never materialized due to his focus shifting to the Knives Out franchise. In interviews, Johnson admitted to once harboring a 'ruthless' hatred for the Star Wars prequel trilogy, reflecting the general sentiment among fans during their release from 1999 to 2005. Despite the backlash his own film faced, Johnson contextualized the criticism as part of the passionate and often divisive nature of Star Wars fandom, which he has grown to accept with time. He noted that opinions on the prequels have softened over the years, with those films now being more embraced by the fanbase. Johnson emphasized that the passionate push and pull over new Star Wars content is a healthy aspect of the franchise's culture. He also expressed openness to returning to Star Wars if the opportunity arises, though he never developed a formal outline for his trilogy concept.