Rian Johnson is reportedly set to write and direct Disney’s Star Wars: Episode VIII. Hit the jump for my thoughts.
The maxim of contemporary entertainment states that TV is the new cinema. If this is true it is because of the steady decline in momentum within the film industry after the golden age of the 1970s. There are still a handful of talented, seemingly passionate, filmmakers working today (we’ll get to one in particular) but overall it seems the studio system and the general ease of modern production have led to lackadaisical filmmaking both within and without the major studios.
All of the above negativity is what made watching anything from Rian Johnson’s flawless (albeit brief, to-date) filmography such a pleasure. It is exciting to watch one of Johnson’s films because it feels like he is excited to make them. His three features—Brick, The Brothers Bloom, and Looper—all have a lot in common: they’re genre pieces, they feature (to some extent) Joseph Gordon Levitt, and, most importantly, they are completely immersed in the worlds Johnson places them in. From visual style to dialogue, every piece fits into the larger picture that is inevitably a fun and fulfilling film.
All of the above positivity is why I was less than enthused when I read the news that Johnson would be directing Disney’s Star Wars: Episode VIII. Admittedly, Johnson is a perfect fit for the film: he’s proved he can make a fresh, engaging sci-fi film, he has worked incredibly well with young actors, and even the energy and enthusiasm that runs through his work is reminiscent of early Lucas or Spielberg. And yet, I can’t help feeling that Johnson shouldn’t waste his time with Disney’s Star Wars.
It’s a selfish notion on this writer’s part to suggest that a talented, independent filmmaker should forego one of the largest, most successful franchises in the history of film. Yes, Johnson will presumably get a big paycheck but he’ll also get insane international recognition and resources that he may not have been able to afford before. But Disney doesn’t need him. JJ Abrams has been a derivative Spielberg Jr for years now but Johnson seemingly still has decades of independent, creative energy in him. Disney, the great studio parasite, could easily latch onto that and never let go. Or at least not until they’ve made their money or Johnson loses steam. The sad truth is that too many great filmmakers went through the shiny doors of Big Studio and were never seen or heard from again.
Star Wars is important to me. It represents the adventurous naiveté of childhood—of my childhood. Rian Johnson’s films recall that same fantastical fervor. But George Lucas, the Star Wars franchise, and Disney, for that matter, gave up on making meaningful content a long time ago.
To Disney: Please don’t destroy one of my favorite directors. He’s too good for you.
To Rian Johnson: I hope you somehow breathe new, creative life into cinema’s most tired and uninteresting franchise. You just became the leader of a rebellion that the rest of us gave up fighting years ago. As it stands, you’re our only hope.
CHRIS ON CINEMA 