Rian Johnson Explains ‘The Last Jedi’ Is Heavily Influenced By ‘Return of the Jedi’

With the ominous title of “The Last Jedi” and being the second installment in a new episodic trilogy, many fans are already assuming the newest Star Wars film will mirror the dramatic intensity of The Empire Strikes Back. When speaking with Fandango‘s Erik Davis at the D23 Expo, director Rian Johnson does say there are elements of Empire in The Last Jedi, but that he also aimed to capture the sense of fun prevalent in Return of the Jedi.

“The automatic temptation is to say, ‘Well it’s a middle chapter, so it’s got kind of that Empire thing,’” the director revealed when asked about his inspirations for the film. “But at the same time, I really wanted to maintain the same sense of fun that J.J. [Abrams] had in The Force Awakens, that to some extent in Return Of The Jedi, which I was like 10 years old, that was prime for me when that came out, and the sense of playfulness, I think.”

Johnson added, “So when I say Empire, I guess I don’t want to give the impression that it’s kind of a dark, gloom and doom. It was also really important to me that this was a fun adventure. I don’t know, it’s a mixed bag of a lot of different stuff. And hopefully some unique stuff too.”

The original trilogy showcased various themes and tones, which helps make it such a successful series of films. Star Wars was full of adventure and excitement, while also laying the groundwork for some serious dramatic beats and somber moments. Empire continued the first film’s spirit of adventure, but also reminded audiences that not all journeys have happy endings.

Perhaps to make up for the lack of “fun” elements in Empire, Return of the Jedi leaned more heavily into the more exciting elements of the franchise, from the variety of strange creatures in Jabba’s Palace to the energetic speeder bike chase on the forest moon of Endor to Ewoks.

Considering it would have been a sure-fire thing to try to mimic Empire‘s tone, knowing that Johnson incorporated plenty of silly fun in The Last Jedi should make for plenty of pleasant surprises.

The Last Jedi will hit theaters on December 15.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second film in the new Star Wars sequel trilogy that began with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. The film will deal with Luke training Rey to become a, and possibly the last, Jedi. Meanwhile, the Resistance, including Poe Dameron and First Order defector Finn, continues to fight against the First Order, led by General Hux, while Supreme Leader Snoke and his Dark Side follower Kylo Ren continue their mysterious plot.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.

MORE THE LAST JEDI NEWS: Mark Hamill Teases Luke Wielding A Lightsaber Again / First Look Of Kylo Ren’s TIE Fighter In ‘The Last Jedi’ Emerges / Rian Johnson Reveals The Word He’s Most Excited To Have Gotten Into The Opening Crawl Of ‘The Last Jedi’ / Classic Starships Confirmed For Star Wars: The Last Jedi / Our Favorite Moments From The Last Jedi Behind The Scenes Footage