Each of the three movie in theStar Warssequel trilogy was dissentious in their own ways , and a world in whichStar Wars : The Last Jedidirector Rian Johnson had also directedStars war : The Rise of Skywalkerwould have been very dissimilar . Unlike the prequel trilogy , all of which were directed by George Lucas , the subsequence trilogy took a penny-pinching approach to the original trilogy in term of unlike originative teams for each entry in the franchise . While J.J. Abrams ended up directing two of the three films in the sequel trilogy , EpisodesVII , VIII , andIXwere originally planned to be helmed by a different theatre director each .

That came tight to encounter asColin Trevorrow was set to directStar War 9before being fired from the project in September 2017 . Trevorrow already had a first potation for the motion picture , but irreparable creative differences with Lucasfilm resulted in him leave the project . Two class later on , J.J Abrams’The Rise of Skywalkerwould tally the theatre . However , history could have been quite different for the last movie in the sequel trilogy .

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There were at odds written report back whenEpisode VIIIhad yet to come out as to whether Rian Johnson had been offered the opportunity to directEpisode IXafter Colin Trevorrow was fired . One matter is for sure : a Rian JohnsonEpisode IXwould have taken theStar Warssequel trilogyto a dissimilar route than Abrams’Rise of Skywalkerdid . For better or worse , the film would plausibly have tolerate by the decisions made inThe Last Jedi – even the most controversial one . That said , it would have been interesting to see how audiences would react toStar Warsdoubling down on the divisiveLast Jedidirector .

Why Didn’t Rian Johnson Direct Episode IX?

The announcement that Colin Trevorrow would no longer directEpisode IXcame out beforeThe Last Jediwas loose . While J.J. Abrams terminate up being the one to helm the final film in the sequel trilogy , it was reported that Disney ’s first selection for the job was Rian Johnson – with whom the studio ’s experience in the making ofEpisode VIIIwas reported to be very positive . Unlike Abrams , whose production party was an active part of theediting process forThe Force Awakens , Johnson worked much more closely with Lucasfilm . That , plus the fact that the controversialEpisode VIIIhad yet to come out , helps explain why he might have been consider to directEpisode IX .

Although Rian Johnson never affirm if he received the offer to directEpisode IX , theLast Jedidirector did say at the time he always mean to do one film and then hand it off to someone else . It is worth noting that Johnson ’s statement descend before the release ofThe Last Jedi , intend it was n’t affected by the movie ’s mixed response . Lucasfilm would later herald aRian JohnsonStar Warstrilogyoutside of the Skywalker saga , but the projection never saw the light of the daytime .

How Rian Johnson’s Episode IX Would Have Been Different From J.J. Abrams’

While it ’s hard to imagine what tale Rian Johnson would have craft forEpisode IX , the creative decisions seen inThe Last Jedihelp to realise what Johnson could be envisioning for the franchise ’s terminal installment . The sequel trilogy was always intended to be helmed by three different directors with no pre - fix design as to where the characters would end up , which explains why various moments inThe Last Jediare unresolved to different interpretation . Even so , there ’s a certain direction Rian Johnson seemed to be heading - one that ended up not being paid off inJ.J. Abrams’Rise of Skywalker .

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The principal difference between a hypothetical Rian Johnson’sEpisode IXand J.J. Abrams’The Rise of Skywalkerwould most like have been Rey ’s report . Among the many parts of the story that Johnson and Abrams seemed to discord with , the main one was Rey ’s ancestry . Abrams had set up a mystery box regarding Rey ’s fellowship inStar war : The Force Awakens , but Johnson choose to discover that Rey was really a nobody . One of the principal themes inThe Last Jediwas how anyone could be a hero and how the legend of Luke Skywalker and the Jedi would eternally invigorate people across the galaxy . The scene in which Rey image multiple versions of herself while trying to discover something about her family symbolized the style Johnson get a line the character : her story began with herself and not with a brawny syndicate . For that intellect , theRey Palpatine storyline ,   and thus much of the Emperor ’s purpose inThe Force Awakens , wouldn’t be part of Rian Johnson’sEpisode IX . That said , Kathleen Kennedy revealed that bring Palpatine back for the final film was an thought discussed since early in the qualification of the trilogy , meaning thatStar Wars ' ultimate scoundrel could have been inEpisode IXeven if it was direct by Rian Johnson .

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Kylo Ren ’s fate could also have been dissimilar in Rian Johnson’sEpisode IX.The Last Jedihad been very focussed on the story of Han and Leia ’s boy , his splitting impression towards being on the dark side , and his connexion with Rey . After so much attention had been pay off to the case , it ’s not at all far - fetched to imagineBen Solo would have survivedin Rian Johnson’sEpisode IXafter being ransom .

How Rian Johnson’s Episode IX Would Have Used The Last Jedi’s Story

Rian Johnson’sEpisode IXwould have likely reduplicate down on Luke ’s arc from The Last Jedi , meaning that how Luke perceived the failings of the Jedi ordering and of his own would have continued to be discuss . Rian Johnson’sEpisode IXcould have also shown how Luke ’s ultimate forfeit inspired the Resistance and the rest of the extragalactic nebula , something thatThe Rise of Skywalkeroverlooked . Johnson’sEpisode IXcould have also continued the master / learner dynamicbetween Luke and Reybut in a way that resembled how those two characters interact inThe Last Jedi .

In a similar path , Rey could have continued her grooming with Leia , asThe rising of Skywalkerbriefly showed through the sequence on Ajan Kloss , but without the need to take on the Skywalker name . The Last Jediwas precisely about Luke handing over the truncheon to a new contemporaries , and Rey was supposed to be the"last Jedi"at the end of that film . The rite of transit between a break in Jedi and a hopeful new one can be comprehend as one of thecore themes ofThe Last Jediand thus would be play out in Rian Johnson ’s translation ofEpisode IX .

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Would Rian Johnson’s Episode IX Have Been Better Than The Rise of Skywalker?

give how divisiveThe Last Jediwas , peculiarly amongStar Warsfans , Lucasfilm would have no gentle project selling Rian Johnson’sEpisode IX . However , one thing would have been improved with Rian Johnson directingEpisode Nina from Carolina : the consistency between the last two chapter of the saga . While the surprises and twist betweenThe Force AwakensandThe Last Jediwere reasonably to be expect within the context of a three - act narrative , the changes between the middle and last chapter were very abrupt . In many way , Star Wars : The hike of Skywalkerfelt like a hugeThe Last Jediretcon , something that may have got in the means ff the narrative . For well or worse , Rian JohnsonEpisode IXwould have maintained a sure eubstance in the concluding stretch of the continuation trilogy and could have delivered a story that , while still divisive , concluded the Skywalker saga in a more satisfying way .

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