STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Director Rian Johnson Is Proud Of The Story Decisions That Made Some Fans Angry
It’s no secret that Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi has received backlash from fans over numerous story decisions. Now, In a recent interview, the director reveals that he is proud of the choices he made...
Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi is currently available on Digital HD and Blu-ray, and to mark its home release the film’s director took part in an interview in which he discussed the various reactions to the movie.
“I knew intellectually what I was letting myself in for, but then when it happens you’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is intense!'” Johnson explained, sharing his reaction to the backlash against the film. The Star Wars director also went further and explained how some of the more extreme reactions, such as death threats, made him feel: “It’s about knowing you’re not going to please everyone. But then you still read someone saying they wish you were dead and it’s going to ruin your day.” Of course, Johnson didn’t just speak about the negative backlash as he explains that for the vast majority of the responses he received were “not only lovely and encouraging but phenomenally thoughtful.”
Johnson also went on to reveal his own feelings on the film and the story choices he made following the extreme reactions he received. “At first I was freaked out,” he revealed. “but then I realised the things people were angry about are the things I’m most proud about.” All in all, it sounds like the director has taken the fan-reactions to heart, but still remains proud of his decisions, particularly those that have been most heavily criticized.
Finally, Johnson addressed Mark Hamill’s well documented reaction to the script, which he describes as a fairly common occurrence in the film industry:
“When Mark first read it, it was not what he expected. The truth is though, this is a normal working process for actors and directors. There are moments where the actors say, ‘Well why would my character do this?’ And then it’s a conversation. This was no different. But it gets shouted through a megaphone.”
Ultimately, Rian Johnson explains that he wasn’t bothered by Hamill’s comments revealing that they both were — and remain — "respectful of each other" despite having opinions that differ.