Just a brief word or two from Rian Johnson, who is developing Star Wars: Episode VIII - and possibly IX - at Lucasfilm...
Disney/Lucasfilm has thus far this year announced three new directors for Star Wars movies. Josh Trank and Gareth Edwards are each going to be doing standalone spin-off films. But it's Looperhelmer Rian Johnson who will be picking up from JJ Abrams and putting Star Wars: Episode VIII- and possibly Star Wars: Episode IX - together.
Chatting to the Filmspotting Podcast, Johnson admitted his absolute delight at landing the Star Wars job. "The thought of it made me so completely joyfully happy. I wanted to to play in this world, of literally the first movie my dad put me in the car to see".
Admitting that he's early in the process of making his new film, Johnson is currently hard at work at Lucasfilm, and spends evenings showing his crew films (most recently Russian movie Letter Never Sent, and also Twelve O'Clock High).
"I'm really excited about all the things I can't tell you", Johnson said, and then recommended that newcomers to Star Wars watch episodes four to six first, and then one to three. He argued that "storytelling-wise, four to six were constructed without the knowledge of the past", going on to say "there was something really beautiful about the prequels".
More on Star Wars as we hear it...
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Well, it surely looks like we'll have Star Wars for a long time!!