Rian Johnson Is Happy to Keep Us All Guessing About The Last Jedi

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Star Wars is a franchise that’s no stranger to big twists. The Empire Strikes Back even pulled a little fake-out with Yoda before dropping one of the most famous movie twists of all time, and Return of the Jedi returned to that same well when it revealed that Luke and Leia were siblings. The Force Awakens, pulled a similar trick in the reveal of Kylo Ren’s true identity, and Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi, is enjoying the fan anticipation of future surprises.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson was predictably evasive when answering a question about a popular fan theory—that it’s not a coincidence that Luke Skywalker’s looming presence on the movie’s poster mirrors that of past villains in the franchise. We’re only about two months away from the movie’s release, so we’re not likely to get any more big details before we finally see for ourselves, but Johnson did mention that he’s very much enjoying providing fans with plenty to theorize over, since he’s taken part in that himself:

“Having been a Star Wars fan myself for the past 40 years, having spent most of my life on the other side of the curtain, I know the anticipation and the guesswork and theorizing is all part of the fun and game of it. So I love it. I love seeing what people are thinking, seeing what they’re guessing, seeing what they’re anticipating.”

The latest trailer certainly played into that, with plenty of hints—whether straightforward or intentionally deceptive—that not all is as it seems in the next chapter of the saga. Luke Skywalker himself even comes out and explicitly says that at least he expects things to take a turn. Although maybe he just needs to heed the advice that he should keep his mind on where he is and what he’s doing, hmm? Or just have a little more faith?

Whatever the case, don’t expect the teases to stop anytime soon.

(via THR, image: Disney/Lucasfilm)

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Dan Van Winkle
Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct Geekosystem (RIP), and then at The Mary Sue starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at Smash Bros.