Lucasfilm
- "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson said he got death threats after the movie came out.
- Johnson said that while he knew there would be backlash, the death threats were shocking to read.
"The Last Jedi" divided "Star Wars" fans in an extreme way. People either loved it or they hated it.
While some regard it as one of the best movies in the saga, on par with "The Empire Strikes Back," some despise it, maybe even more than the prequels. And some people who despised "The Last Jedi" sent its director Rian Johnson death threats.
Johnson has been quite open about the backlash against his first "Star Wars" film. While Lucasfilm and Disney seemed pleased with his movie, and have tapped him to take on a separate trilogy himself, some fans felt the opposite. They particularly didn't like Johnson's interpretation of the Force and expansion of the galaxy, casting choices, and some storylines (including Leia's surprising use of the Force and Finn, BB-8, and Rose's adventure). Evidently, the only thing every "Star Wars" fan can agree on when it comes to "The Last Jedi" is the fact that Porgs are very cute.
Johnson admitted to The Standard that he expected there would be backlash, knowing that his story was unlike any "Star Wars" movie before it.
"I knew intellectually what I was letting myself in for, but then when it happens you're like, 'Oh my God, this is intense!'" he said. "It's about knowing you're not going to please everyone. But then you still read someone saying they wish you were dead and it's going to ruin your day."
"There were death threats," Johnson continued, without going into detail on the threats or where they came from. "It's balanced by a few things - 90% of the stuff I got online was not only lovely and encouraging but phenomenally thoughtful. Fans would send me essays on the movie. The other 10% is just loud and gets amplified."