Star Wars filmmaker Rian Johnson Expresses Eagerness for Return to Galaxy Far, Far Away
In a recent development, it appears that Rian Johnson, the director behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi, is not currently expected to return to the Star Wars universe for future projects. Johnson's trilogy, which was announced following the release of The Last Jedi, has been effectively shelved, with no scripts or outlines developed.
Johnson's creative focus has shifted to his successful Knives Out series and other projects. In a recent interview, he expressed his happiness about potentially returning to the Star Wars universe but confirmed that there are no current plans for him to direct another Star Wars film. Johnson's role was always as the middle chapter director in the sequel trilogy, not extending beyond that.
Meanwhile, the Star Wars franchise continues to expand. Two Star Wars movies are scheduled for the next two years: The Mandalorian & Grogu for May 22, 2026, and Star Wars: Starfighter for May 28, 2027. Simultaneously, multiple filmmakers, including James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, are working on Star Wars movies, but no details about their projects have been released yet.
Johnson himself has been working almost exclusively in the murder mystery genre since then. His third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man, is set to be released later this year. The second season of his murder mystery series, Poker Face, is currently airing on Peacock.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his return to Star Wars, Johnson admitted he often thinks about returning to the galaxy far, far away. However, as of mid-2025, no active projects or commitments tie him to the franchise going forward. Johnson's current focus remains on making other things outside of Star Wars.
[1] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rian-johnson-knives-out-3-movie-deal-lionsgate-1235091907/ [2] https://www.ign.com/articles/rian-johnson-knives-out-3-wont-be-a-prequel-or-sequel [3] https://www.slashfilm.com/862789/rian-johnson-says-he-would-be-thrilled-to-return-to-star-wars/ [4] https://www.cbr.com/rian-johnson-star-wars-trilogy-cancelled/
- Gizmodo recently reported that even though Rian Johnson expressed interest, he has no current plans to direct another Star Wars movie, focusing instead on his Knives Out series and other projects.
- Io9 revealed that while two Star Wars movies are scheduled for the next two years, Johnson's role in the Star Wars franchise seems to be on hold as of mid-2025, with no active projects or commitments tying him to the galaxy far, far away.
- Movies-and-TV Entertainment news sites such as The Hollywood Reporter and IGN have confirmed that Johnson's trilogy in the Star Wars universe has been shelved, and his creative focus has instead leaned towards the murder mystery genre, with upcoming releases like Wake Up Dead Man and the second season of Poker Face.
