Kennedy Defends Johnson's Star Wars Film Despite Online Backlash

Former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed that director Rian Johnson withdrew from future Star Wars projects partly because internet criticism rattled him following The Last Jedi's release in 2017. Kennedy stepped down this week after 14 years leading the studio.

Johnson's departure stemmed from multiple factors, Kennedy explained to reporters. His Netflix deal and the successful Knives Out franchise consumed much of his schedule. But the harsh online response to his Star Wars entry also played a role.

Scheduling Conflicts and Creative Pressures

"Once he made the Netflix deal and went off to start doing the Knives Out films, that has occupied a huge amount of his time," Kennedy said. She compared Johnson's situation to director Shawn Levy, who will helm the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. "After Shawn and I started talking about Star Wars, Stranger Things kicks in and he was completely consumed for a while by that. That's what happened with Rian."

The internet backlash added another layer of complexity. "And then I do believe he got spooked by the online negativity. I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He's a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked," Kennedy stated.

Preparing Filmmakers for Fan Reactions

Kennedy described how she now warns newcomers about potential online harassment. "This is the rough part. When people come into this space, I have every filmmaker and actors say to me, 'What's going to happen?' They're a little scared."

Her approach involves brutal honesty, especially with female creators who face disproportionate targeting. "I'm honest, especially with the women that come into this space because they unfairly get targeted. I don't try to sugarcoat it," she explained.

Kennedy believes the vocal critics represent a minority. "And I emphasize that it's a very small group of people, with loud megaphones. I truly do not believe that it's the majority of the fans. And I think we're also in this weird world of where bots can affect things."

Tough Skin Required

The former executive stressed that resilience becomes essential for anyone entering the Star Wars universe. "You have to develop a tough skin. That is exactly right. That's what you have to do. You can't make it go away."

Her advice to nervous filmmakers remains straightforward. "All we can do is put our heads down and do the work and believe that we're doing the best we can, telling the best story we can. And if somebody gets really nervous about it and doesn't want to do it, I say, then don't do it because I can't tell you this won't happen."

Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan now lead Lucasfilm as chief creative officer and general manager respectively, taking over franchise operations after Kennedy's departure.