Kathleen Kennedy, who is stepping down as Lucasfilm president after more than a decade leading the Star Wars franchise, has revealed in a new interview that The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson was ultimately deterred from pursuing additional films in the saga due in part to the intense online negativity that followed his 2017 movie.
In the interview published by Deadline, Kennedy addressed the long-standing question of why Johnson never advanced with his previously announced Star Wars trilogy, pointing to a combination of scheduling conflicts and the emotional toll of public backlash.
Kennedy elaborated on the timeline of events, noting how Johnson's trajectory changed after his work on The Last Jedi. "Once he made the Netflix deal and went off to start doing the Knives Out films, that has occupied a huge amount of his time," she said. "That's the other thing that happens here. After Shawn [Levy, now the director of Star Wars: Starfighter] and I started talking about Star Wars, Stranger Things kicks in and he was completely consumed for a while by that. That's what happened with Rian.
"And then I do believe he got spooked by the online negativity," Kennedy continued. "I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He's a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked. This is the rough part. When people come into this space, I have every filmmaker and actors say to me, 'What's going to happen?' They’re a little scared."
Following the release of The Last Jedi in 2017, Lucasfilm had enthusiastically announced that Johnson would write and direct an entirely new trilogy within the Star Wars universe, separate from the central Skywalker Saga. The project was positioned as an opportunity to explore fresh characters, settings, and storytelling approaches distinct from the established lineage. However, as the years passed and numerous other Star Wars initiatives either stalled, were canceled, or moved to the back burner—including several feature films and series concepts—it became increasingly evident that Johnson's trilogy would never materialize.
Johnson has since built a highly successful career outside the Star Wars galaxy. His Netflix partnership resulted in the acclaimed Knives Out franchise, launching with the 2019 original that captivated audiences and critics alike with its razor-sharp script, stellar ensemble cast including Daniel Craig, and inventive murder-mystery structure. The follow-up, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in 2022, expanded the series' scope while maintaining its clever plotting and social commentary. A third film in the series has kept Johnson's focus firmly on these original mysteries, demonstrating how these high-profile projects have consumed much of his professional bandwidth.
Kennedy's remarks also underscore the recurring challenges for filmmakers entering the Star Wars ecosystem. She compared Johnson's experience to that of Shawn Levy, whose work on Star Wars: Starfighter was postponed while he devoted extensive time to helming seasons of the massively popular Netflix series Stranger Things. Such overlaps highlight the intense competition for top directors' schedules in an era of sprawling franchises and streaming commitments.
Under Kennedy's stewardship since 2012, Star Wars has seen substantial transformation. She oversaw the sequel trilogy that reintroduced the saga to a new generation, while simultaneously pioneering a robust expansion into live-action television through Disney+ with hits like The Mandalorian. Her leadership has navigated the delicate balance between honoring the franchise's storied history and pushing boundaries with new stories and formats.
Update: Johnson recently pushed back against Kennedy's characterization, simply stating, “lol zero spooked, sorry.”
Kennedy's perspective on the impact of online discourse contrasts somewhat with Johnson's own reflections. In a prior interview with Polygon, Johnson addressed the expectations and reactions that come with working on Star Wars. "I was hoping for that — I wasn't afraid of it per se," he said. "Having grown up a Star Wars fan, I know that thing where something challenges it, and I know the recoil against that. I know how there can be infighting in the world of Star Wars. But I also know that the worst sin is to handle it with kid gloves."
As Kennedy prepares to exit her role, she leaves Lucasfilm with momentum in its upcoming slate. Two major Star Wars films are currently in post-production: this year's The Mandalorian and Grogu, a theatrical spinoff from the beloved Disney+ series that reunites the iconic bounty hunter and his young companion on the big screen, and the standalone feature Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Shawn Levy, scheduled to arrive in 2027. These projects reflect the franchise's ongoing evolution and forward-looking ambition amid leadership transitions and creative shifts.
