Rian Johnson says he was not 'spooked' by Star Wars backlash

Collider reports Rian Johnson has pushed back against Kathleen Kennedy's suggestion that online backlash "spooked" him from returning to Star Wars.

In her Lucasfilm exit interview, Kennedy said she believed Johnson "got spooked by the online negativity" and noted he moved on to other projects after making a Netflix deal and pursuing the Knives Out films. Shortly after the interview circulated, Johnson replied on X, writing, "Lol zero spooked, sorry." Kennedy is handing leadership of Lucasfilm to Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan in early 2026, the report says.

The Last Jedi earned $1.3 billion globally and was widely acclaimed by critics; the outlet's review praised the film's bold approach for subverting expectations and pushing the franchise into more morally greyer territory. The movie is streaming on Disney+ and was released December 13, 2017.

Key Topics

Culture, Rian Johnson, Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm, Dave Filoni, Lynwen Brennan