Over two years on from the film’s release, Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson has once again spoken out on social media to defend his creative choices for the character of Luke Skywalker in the middle chapter of Disney’s Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.
Responding to a tweet accusing him of “completely destroying the character of Luke Skywalker and almost derailing the franchise”, Johnson responded that: “I understand that point of view but I completely disagree with it. In fact I think it disrespects the character of Luke by treating him not as a true mythic hero overcoming recurring wounds & flaws, but as a video game character who has achieved a binary, permanent power-up.”
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Gil, I understand that point of view but I completely disagree with it. In fact I think it disrespects the character of Luke by treating him not as a true mythic hero overcoming recurring wounds & flaws, but as a video game character who has achieved a binary, permanent power-up.
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) December 20, 2019
The director’s treatment of Luke has been one of the biggest sticking points for critics of The Last Jedi, with even Mark Hamill himself admitting that he “fundamentally disagreed with everything” that Johnson decided for the character, although he later admitted that “it took me a while to get around to his way of thinking, but once I was there it was a thrilling experience.”
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sees J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) directing a cast that includes Star Wars veterans Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Lupita Nyong’o (Maz Kanata), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico), Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), Billie Lourd (Lieutenant Connix), Greg Grunberg (Snap Wexley), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine) and Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa) as well as new additions Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth), Richard E. Grant (Logan), Dominic Monaghan (Lost), and Keri Russell (The Americans).
