20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Breaking down the divisive finale to the Skywalker Saga.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the most recent big-screen cinematic entry into the beloved sci-fi franchise, yet also remains one of the most controversial and divisive.
Following the release of 2017's similarly polarising The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker was positioned as a course-correction of-sorts, yet for those who enjoyed The Last Jedi's radical rejection of sentimentality and fan service, they saw this follow-up as a wildly cynical over-correction.
Whatever your own opinion on the movie, though, there's little denying the absolutely fascinating nature of The Rise of Skywalker's production, from the last-minute change in directorial personnel to the rushed shooting schedule, and everything else in-between.
While The Rise of Skywalker may have soured some Star Wars fans on the sequel trilogy as a whole, its creation and everything surround it truly is a saga in of itself, as writer-director J.J. Abrams scrambled to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker Saga amid considerable constraints.
And so, having pored over behind-the-scenes hubbub and interviews with the cast and crew, here are 20 fascinating nuggets about the movie you almost certainly didn't know...
20. Rian Johnson Was Offered To Direct After Colin Trevorrow's Departure
It's no secret that Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) was originally hired to direct The Rise of Skywalker, yet ultimately exited the project amid creative differences, albeit still retaining a "story by" credit in the final film.
The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams was of course drafted in to replace him, yet before he secured the gig, Lucasfilm did reach out to The Last Jedi's Rian Johnson to see if he was interested in the job.
But Johnson refused, feeling that he needed time off between The Last Jedi and what would be his next project, Knives Out. Plus, it's fair to assume that participating in The Rise of Skywalker would've pushed back production on Knives Out, which was clearly a passion project for Johnson.
And above all else, can anyone blame him for not returning after the volcanic fan response to The Last Jedi?