Is Rian Johnson Casting Doubt on His Star Wars Trilogy Happening?

While Star Wars: The Last Jedi proved to be yet another financial blockbuster for Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Pictures, it goes without saying that the movie proved to be divisive among the fandom as people debate Rian Johnson's installment in the long-running Skywalker Saga. Before the movie was even released, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy announced that the filmmaker was developing a trilogy along with producer Ram Bergman, and the two were going to continue to explore the Star Wars galaxy with all new characters. And Johnson previously assured fans he was still working on these movies despite the backlash, but now it seems like he's aware that they might not happen after all.

During an interview with BANG Showbiz, he was asked when fans can expect to see him working in the Star Wars franchise again.

"Well we'll see. I'm still talking to Lucasfilm, they're figuring out what they're doing and we'll see what happens," Johnson explained. "But I'd be thrilled if it happens, and I'm working on my own stuff too."

Johnson has previously talked about his Star Wars movies with more certainty, even debunking rumors from earlier this year that he had left the project due to the divisive reaction to Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Just last month while promoting his newest film Knives Out, he told Uproxx that he was still working on his Star Wars movie.

"I'm where I can't say anything about it. Still completely in process with it." Johnson explained, before adding, "It's just, I don't know. 'It's a process' means it's a process. So that means it could change, it could shift. There are a bunch of moving parts with it."

Those plans might have been complicated with the news that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige was developing his own Star Wars film in the franchise, which goes alongside the series of films being worked on by Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. With multiple projects in development, all of this is complicated by the fact that Disney wants to slowdown the release of Star Wars movies, cancelling their plans to release spinoff films after the disappointing box office results of Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Johnson, to his credit, has never denounced the angry fanbase that didn't respond well to The Last Jedi, instead praising the intense community that surrounds the Star Wars franchise.

"I feel like every Star Wars thing that ever gets made has a big, loud response because Star Wars fans are passionate and that's what makes them awesome," Johnson shared in March of last year. "I don't think it's possible if you're really telling a story you care about and having it come from your heart it's just not possible to be intellectually processing what everyone else wants. Nor would it be a healthy thing, I don't think that's a good way to tell a story."

Johnson's next movie Knives Out premieres on November 27th.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th.