Why JJ Abrams Didn’t Direct The Last Jedi

J.J. Abrams passed the torch to Rian Johnson for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but Abrams stepped back in to direct The Rise of Skywalker; fans were ultimately puzzled as to why the director didn’t just oversee the entire trilogy. The reality is, Abrams was hesitant to direct any Star Wars movie in the first place, and only returned after Johnson’s vision proved divisive.

After rebooting both Star Trek and Mission Impossible, Abrams was initially wary to reboot another franchise. He was eventually convinced by none other than Steven Spielberg to take on the project. After the success of The Force Awakens, the plan was for the next two films to each have their own director. As shown by the previous franchises he brought back to life, like the Star Trek and Mission Impossible movies, and his work producing the Cloverfield series, Abrams has a reputation for skillfully kicking off multi-movie projects.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

Once Episode IX was set to begin production, Lucasfilm found itself without a director following the disappointing fan reaction to The Last Jedi. Abrams stepped back into the director’s chair and attempted to steer the trilogy back on course, which led to an uneven franchise. The Star Wars sequel trilogy would have been better served if just one person had directed each film, which would have allowed the story to develop organically.

The Last Jedi was well-received by critics but left fans divided. Johnson made a Star Wars film unlike any other — it was artistic and ignored the traditional Star Wars dynasties. Colin Trevorrow was initially set to direct the final film in the series. Trevorrow was eventually fired from Star Wars 9, with Lucasfilm stating creative differences as the reason for his departure. Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, called upon Abrams to return, deviating from their original plan for a new director for each movie.

Just as he was wary to start the franchise, Abrams was hesitant to end it. He initially wanted to pursue other projects, but eventually agreed to return to Star Wars. The issue with the final product is that he created the finale he wanted, not the one set up by Johnson’s The Last Jedi. Abrams largely undid the plot of the second movie and opted for a continuation of The Force Awakens. This was a poor move on Lucasfilm’s behalf. While having Abrams direct Episode XII and Johnson direct Episode XIII served the directors’ best interest, the franchise suffered because of it. Abrams had been offered the chance to direct The Last Jedi, but he turned it down. While Johnson’s film was masterful, he would have been better served directing a Star Wars spin-off film, given the fan reaction. For the sake of clarity and continuity, the entire Star Wars sequel trilogy should have been given to one director alone.

Doctor Strange 2 Posters Show 6 New & Returning MCU Characters

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *