As we approach the tail end of the promotional cycle for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” it would appear that we’ve entered the section where the folks involved in the franchise begin to give honest opinions about the films that came before. Specifically, like what is seen in a new profile over at NY Times, director JJ Abrams and two of his lead actors, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, are beginning to feel more comfortable talking candidly about every “Star Wars” fan’s favorite hot-button issue, ‘The Last Jedi.’
As you probably know by now, JJ Abrams came aboard to finish the Skywalker Saga in the latest “Star Wars” film, coming on the heels of Rian Johnson’s ‘The Last Jedi.’ And while the film received solid reviews, made well over a billion dollars, and has its fair share of supporters, there are many that feel ‘The Last Jedi’ is a massive creative failure for “Star Wars.” This led to Abrams coming aboard to somehow “fix” the franchise before its too late.
READ MORE: John Boyega Didn’t Agree With Some Choices Made In ‘The Last Jedi’ & Felt Film Was “Iffy”
And in the recent interview, it appears that’s exactly what’s going to happen, as ‘Rise of Skywalker’ sure does sound like a film that is a direct reaction to ‘The Last Jedi.’
The ‘Rise’ director started by doing what he’s been doing this publicity tour, raving about ‘The Last Jedi’ for being “full of surprises and subversion and all sorts of bold choices.” However, this time he also added a bit of criticism of Johnson’s film and why it was important for Abrams to do something completely different in the new film.
“On the other hand,” Abrams said. “it’s a bit of a meta approach to the story. I don’t think that people go to ‘Star Wars’ to be told, ‘This doesn’t matter.’”
And because of Johnson’s rather unique storytelling in ‘Last Jedi,’ Abrams felt that the film provided him a reason to craft “a story that I think needed a pendulum swing in one direction in order to swing in the other.”
The report also says something interesting about the process of creating ‘Rise of Skywalker.’ Something that might worry fans who were expecting Lucasfilm and Abrams to have a clear idea about where the Saga ends before going into production. The piece says that filmmakers kept the actors away from the behind-the-scenes machinations as “major plot elements and whole swaths of dialogue were being reworked up to and on the days they were filmed.”
As for whether or not the actors were excited that Abrams was coming back for ‘Rise of Skywalker,’ Ridley explains that she was so happy that she “cried.” John Boyega, who has recently voiced a bit of disapproval for ‘Last Jedi,’ said, “Even as a normal person in the audience, I wanted to see where that story was going.” This, of course, is in reference to the story started in ‘The Force Awakens.’
READ MORE: Kathleen Kennedy Explains Why The New ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Couldn’t Be Fully Mapped Out
The actor added that ‘Rise’ brings the three core actors (himself, Ridley, and Oscar Isaac) back together, and said, “We’re in legit, legit ‘Star Wars’ now. We’ve got a trio up in here.”
Those fans that were hoping for more subversion in ‘Rise of Skywalker’ might be in for a bit of a shock, as it seems Abrams is going in the complete opposite direction in this new film. However, for those wanting a return to what “Star Wars” was like in ‘The Force Awakens,’ then you’re probably going to be pleased.
Of course, we’ll find out if Abrams does indeed correct course with ‘Rise of Skywalker’ when the film opens on December 20.