“Star Wars: Episode VIII” director Rian Johnson is dishing details about the Lucasfilm production set to debut in 2017.
Johnson, who has directorial credits include “Breaking Bad” and “Looper,” recently spoke to The Talkhouse about taking on the franchise after J.J. Abrams completes “Star Wars: Episode VII.”
"I'm figuring it out as I go,” Johnson said. “I'm dancing on top of the avalanche a little bit. But it's a challenge of remembering what inspires you about [the original films], but I think you can probably go to the wrong place by feeling too responsible to it. You have to keep your head loose enough to tell a story you actually care about."
Johnson claimed he is in the middle of writing the script for “Star Wars: Episode VIII”, which he described as a “joyous” process. The director said he was a big fan of the original trilogy growing up and it was easy for him to get into a writing groove.
The director also credits Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy for allowing him to dive into the “Star Wars” franchise and make it his own.
“Kathleen and her whole creative team have been so insistent on all the filmmakers they’ve been hiring for these new movies: ‘We want you to take it and turn it into something that you really care about,’” Johnson explained to The Talkhouse.
“And we’ll see how the process plays out, but so far, that’s a big part of the reason I’m [doing the film]. Because that just seems like their attitude towards it. It’s really exciting actually.”
“Star Wars: Episode VII” directed by J.J. Abrams is slated to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2015. “Star Wars: Episode VII” directed by Johnson does not have an official release date.
