The 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' director explains his risky decision in the 2017 epic space opera movie while criticizing lack of interesting endings in today's Hollywood movies.
- Dec 28, 2022
AceShowbiz - Director Rian Johnson tried to bring his "Star Wars" movie to a conclusion with "a hell of an ending." Helming "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" - the middle film of the franchise's third trilogy, the director revealed he wanted to go out with a bang - even if it meant killing off beloved character Luke Skywalker.
"In terms of the 'Star Wars' movie I did, I tried to give it a hell of an ending. I love endings so much that even doing the middle chapter of the trilogy, I tried to give it an ending. A good ending that recontextualises everything that came before it and makes it a beautiful object unto itself - that's what makes a movie, a movie," he told The Atlantic.
In "The Last Jedi", Johnson brought back the character of Luke Skywalker - who had retired to leave peacefully away from the Jedi life - and then bravely sacrifices himself to help members of the Resistance escape.
The filmmaker went on to explain he worries there are less interesting endings in Hollywood these days because so many movie bosses are concerned with bringing successful projects back for sequels.
He added, "It feels like there's less and less of that [interesting endings]. This whole poisonous idea of creating [intellectual property] has completely seeped into the bedrock of storytelling. Everyone is just thinking, 'How do we keep milking it?' I love an ending where you burn the Viking boat into the sea."
"The Last Jedi" was followed by the third film in the trilogy "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker".
