STACK #162 April 2018

DVD & BD FEATURE

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Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and Director Rian Johnson Photo: David James

JEDI MASTER

When Rian Johnson was offered the opportunity to write and direct StarWars: The Last Jedi , he chose to make the story and characters a priority. Words Adam Colby

H aving successfully relaunched the Star Wars saga in 2015 with The Force Awakens , J.J. Abrams has passed the lightsaber to director Rian Johnson for the middle chapter in the new trilogy, The Last Jedi . Best known for his indie drama Brick (2005) and the time-travel thriller Looper (2012), Johnson is certainly an interesting choice to helm Episode VIII, and it was his unique and specific vision as a filmmaker – as well a sense of humour and talent for writing fierce and independent female characters –

I wanted to make sure it was something that was going to be a good experience, and it really has been. “I had the time of my life making this movie. In many ways it felt the closest I’ve ever gotten to a professional equivalent of being a kid and running around the room with action figures.” Johnson decided that the best way to approach a project of such magnitude and importance was to simply jump in and start doing it. “I looked at where The

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) Photo: John Wilson

them that made sense, I started drawing it out into a story.” Johnson let the epic nature of the film take care of itself, and focused on the characters. “Because it’s the middle chapter of a trilogy, this is the one where we have to slow down a little and dig into everybody a bit more. That’s really where I put most of the focus.” The relationship between Rey and Luke Skywalker was a key element he had to get right. “But the first thing I had to really figure out was what Luke’s deal is. Why is he on that island? Because I know he’s not a coward and I know he’s not hiding. I know if he’s there, he’s taken himself out of the fight, and he must have

that so impressed Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. When offered the gig of a lifetime, Johnson admits he took his time pondering what he could add to the Star Wars universe. “On one hand it was something that I felt was a dream offer. On the other hand, it was a big, life-changing deal.

Force Awakens left off, and I wrote down the names of each of the characters, and I started writing and asking myself what I knew about each of these characters. What do I think they want? Where can I see them going? And once I got to a place where I had something for each one of

On one hand it was something that I felt was a dream offer. On the other hand, it was a big, life- changing deal

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APRIL 2018

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