![\"Rian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Rian-Johnson-Director-2025-Far-Out-Magazine-1140x855.jpg\")
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(Credits: Far Out \/ Max Surprenant)<\/p>\n
Sun 21 December 2025 3:00, UK <\/p>\n
Rian Johnson<\/a> looks like he\u2019s having the time of his life right now. <\/p>\n Ever since the world fell in love with Benoit Blanc in the first Knives Out movie, the director has been able to devote his time and attention almost exclusively to making campy whodunnits. He\u2019s almost single-handedly revitalised his beloved \u2018murder-mystery\u2019 genre and has spent his days hanging out with Daniel Craig and getting paid big bucks to do so. But things weren\u2019t always so dreamy.<\/p>\n Prior to Knives Out, Johnson was probably most famous for directing the eighth overall instalment in the Star Wars franchise, 2017\u2019s The Last Jedi. Following the monumental commercial success of The Force Awakens, it was his job to keep the ship on course. Only he didn\u2019t do that. He rocked the boat and rocked it hard. Johnson\u2019s bold departure from many of the established Star Wars norms caused an almighty debate among the infamously toxic fandom. <\/p>\n Some people \u2013 myself included \u2013 adored the direction he took the story in, while others were physically repulsed by the idea of there being multiple women in a single film. How dare they?!<\/p>\n Hating on Star Wars was nothing new by 2017. In fact, Johnson himself had been guilty of the same offence. Speaking to Rolling Stone<\/a>, the filmmaker revealed that he had been a part of \u201cPrequel Hate Central\u201d when he was in college. \u201cEveryone was ruthless at the time,\u201d he said of this notably dark period in the franchise\u2019s history.<\/p>\n The Phantom Menace was released in 1999, when Johnson would have been in his mid-20s. Growing up as a fan of the original trilogy, he, like many others, must have been wetting themselves at the thought of new adventures in the galaxy far, far away. However, like many others, he was extremely disappointed at the way in which they turned out. George Lucas\u2019 perceived decision to aim the prequels squarely at a younger audience \u2013 while also including plotlines about trade embargos and intergalactic politics \u2013 rubbed a lot of people up the wrong way. <\/p>\n Things only got worse with the releases of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Sand, the high ground, Darth Plagueis the Wise, Hayden Christensen in general. You know what I\u2019m talking about.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, now the prequels are embraced,\u201d Johnson continued, referring to the recent reevaluation<\/a> of the once-derided trilogy. \u201cI\u2019m not saying that as a facile, \u2018Oh, things will flip around in 20 years, you\u2019ll see!\u2019 It\u2019s more that this push and pull, and this hatred to stuff that seems new, this is all part of being a Star Wars fan. Culture-war garbage aside, I think that essential part of it is a healthy part.\u201d<\/p>\n