Washington DC [US], July 14: Knives Out and Glass Onion director Rian Johnson has finally opened up about the long-rumored Star Wars trilogy he was once set to develop — and why it never materialized, according to Variety.
Johnson, who helmed 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, revealed that he had early talks with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy about a new three-film saga in the franchise. However, the success of Knives Out pulled his focus in another direction.
“Nothing really happened with it,” Johnson said. “We had a great time working together, and they said, ‘Let’s keep doing it.’ I said, ‘Great!’ I would kick ideas around with Kathy… But Knives Out happened. I went off and made Knives Out, and was off to the races, busy making murder mysteries.”
According to Johnson, the project was still in very early conceptual stages, with no outline or treatment ever completed.
Despite the trilogy being shelved, the director has not ruled out a return to a galaxy far, far away in the future.
“If, down the line, there’s an opportunity to do it, or do something else in Star Wars, I would be thrilled. But right now I’m just doing my own stuff, and pretty happy.”
In a 2022 statement, Johnson had expressed that he would be “sad” if he never got the chance to direct another Star Wars movie:
“It wouldn’t be the end of the world for anyone. But I would be sad. I love the world. I love the people. I love Star Wars fans. I love the passion with which they engage in it.”
For now, Johnson remains focused on his successful Benoit Blanc mystery franchise, with another sequel reportedly in the works for Netflix.