Rian Johnson Claims The Last Jedi Would Have Been “Worse” If He Hadn’t Ignored Star Wars Fan Pushback

Rian Johnson is addressing the negative reaction to his Star Wars: The Last Jedi film again, but this time he admits he saw it coming. In a recent interview promoting his new Netflix movie, Wake Up Dead Man, Johnson said he not only anticipated the strong fan backlash, but actually welcomed it.

Johnson maintains that dismissing fan concerns was the right decision, despite the division it caused within the Star Wars fanbase and the lasting negative impact on the sequel trilogy. His recent statements, particularly within the ongoing discussion about his work on Star Wars, suggest he stands by his choices and isn’t reconsidering them.

Rian Johnson Says He “Hoped For” The Last Jedi Backlash

In a Zoom interview with Polygon, Johnson revealed he wasn’t worried about a negative reaction to The Last Jedi – he actually expected some backlash from fans.

“I was hoping for that — I wasn’t afraid of it per se,” Johnson said.

By his own admission, backlash wasn’t collateral damage — it was part of the creative calculation.

Johnson Claims Playing It Safe Would Have Been the “Worst Sin”

Johnson appeared to believe that people’s existing expectations were something to be questioned, rather than upheld. He felt that holding back would have been more harmful than creating disagreement.

He believed the biggest mistake you could make was being too gentle with the problem. He thought the worst thing was being scared to take action and really challenge the status quo.

The director believed sticking to the established characters, style, and history of the series would have made for a less compelling movie. According to Johnson, simply challenging expectations is what matters most, even if it doesn’t benefit the story or the overall franchise.

Comparing The Last Jedi Backlash to Earlier Star Wars Films

Johnson justified his creative choices by pointing out that Star Wars fans have historically been critical of any alterations to the established formula.

He explained that every Star Wars film since ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ has been controversial, provoking strong reactions, debate, and even arguments among fans.

However, critics have noted a key distinction: past creative disagreements didn’t lead to viewers losing interest, declining ticket sales, or Disney subtly moving away from certain stories.

Johnson Insists Fans Will “Come Around Eventually”

Despite the long-term fallout, Johnson maintains that history will vindicate his decisions.

“And then for a lot of them, got them loving it and coming around on it eventually,” he said.

While The Empire Strikes Back helped Star Wars grow in popularity over the years, The Last Jedi unfortunately started a downward trend for the movies. This led to changes in creative direction and the cancellation of plans for future sequels.

What Johnson Still Refuses to Acknowledge

Johnson didn’t address any of the negative outcomes of his creative choices. He didn’t mention the cancellation of his planned Star Wars trilogy, the fact that audiences seem to be losing faith, or that making big changes without a clear story can be damaging.

Often, fans are portrayed as being unwilling to accept new developments, overly sensitive, or just needing more time to adjust to changes.

The Cost of Ignoring the Audience

Johnson’s recent comments confirm what many Star Wars fans have believed for years: The Last Jedi wasn’t a case of simply misreading what audiences wanted – it was a deliberate choice to ignore their desires.

If the movie would have been of lower quality if the filmmakers had followed fan suggestions, then the current situation with Star Wars demonstrates just how expensive that approach can be.

2025-12-16 18:57