Star Wars Last Jedi backlash: Rian Johnson says 'SORRY' to furious fans

The last six months have witnessed a running battle between furious fans and Lucasfilm figures Johnson and Kennedy. A vocal part of the fandom is calling for Kennedy’s dismissal while the director has been nicknamed “Ruin Johnson.”

Most fans were primarily upset over the treatment of Luke Skywalker and other legacy elements of the original trilogy.

Lucasfilm figures, including Force Awakens director JJ Abrams, have often implied that fan protests are rooted in misogeny, bigotry in general and an inability to embrace or understand change and modern liberal values.

It certainly hasn’t helped repair the rift, or perhaps entice back fans who publicly boycotted Solo: A Star Wars Story and have taken credit for its monumental box office failure.

Johnson responded to a tweet this week which said: “My main gripes are that you abandoned the spirit and heart of Star Wars in favour of your own ideas, opinions, and mindset, rather than continuing a 40 year legacy. Skywalker and the rest of almost every thing in the film subverted all that was.”

The director defended his choices but even then commentators were not satisfied.

He wrote: “For me The Last Jedi 100% distills what the spirit & heart of Star Wars has been in my life. But yes it is personal, it’s a certain point of view, and it has to be – originals were personal for George Lucas, that’s why they’re alive.” 

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“Star Wars films will truly betray the heart & spirit of the originals if they lose that, and become soulless clean homages. But being alive means being messy, and it means every film won’t line up exactly with what every fan is expecting or wants.

“I’m sorry The Last Jedi didn’t line up with your own certain point of view, really, honestly I am.”

One fan was quick to reply: “So you didn’t make a movie for Disney or Star Wars fans you made your own personal movie. Well that was selfish.”

Another added: “That kind of thinking will leave #RuinJohnson without a job soon.”

But Johnson also his his defenders and one wrote: “In the end the only thing any creative can do is make work that they personally feel deeply conected with. It’s a rare movie that works for almost everyone – I’m glad you were able to make a film you’re proud of Rian.”

It looks like the two sides may never see eye to eye, but what does that mean for the future of Star Wars?