The Last Jedi Director Will Create A New Star Wars Trilogy (Without the Skywalker Drama)

There are 33 agonizing days left until the world premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the eighth chapter in the Skywalker saga that began in 1997 with George Lucas’s culture-shifting Star Wars: A New Hope.

The film follows JJ Abram’s reboot/sequel The Force Awakens in which we’re introduced to a new generation of rebels taking on the remnants of the empire. Rey, Finn, and Cameron Poe are in the crosshairs of a new conflict when the film ends and questions are raised about who can utilize the force and more importantly, which side of the force?

The next chapter will feature the return of Luke Skywalker since we saw him dancing with Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, and the final bow of Carrie Fisher’s General Leia––who introduced space jewelry into the Star Wars universe in this film. Apparently, Johnson immediately loved the idea when Fisher suggested it.

Also, Porgs.

Anticipation rose on Friday when Disney announced that Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson would be spearheading an entirely new trilogy of Star Wars films that tell a separate story from the Skywalker family drama.

“As writer-director of The Last Jedi, Johnson conceived and realized a powerful film of which Lucasfilm and Disney are immensely proud,” said a statement on the Star Wars website. “In shepherding this new trilogy, which is separate from the episodic Skywalker saga, Johnson will introduce new characters from a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored.”

“We all loved working with Rian on The Last Jedi,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “He’s a creative force, and watching him craft The Last Jedi from start to finish was one of the great joys of my career. Rian will do amazing things with the blank canvas of this new trilogy.”

Rian Johnson is a beloved filmmaker in Hollywood and among fans for his cult classic Brick and Ozymandias, which is considered to be the best episode of Breaking Bad and one of television’s finest hours. Brick starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt who went on to star in the brainy time-travel thriller Looper, also directed by Johnson.

With Disney now entrusting a new trilogy to Johnson, they must really love his take on The Last Jedi. It’s also important to note that Johnson wrote the story for The Last Jedi and was allowed to take the story and Star Wars universe in a direction that suited his vision.

Don’t worry, he’s a Star Wars geek. Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens December 15th but we’re pretty sure you knew that.

Photo Credits: Wookiepedia