ST Rian Johnson to write and direct Episode VIII (and also new SW Trilogy - see page 194)

Rian Johnson ‏@rianjohnson 3h3 hours ago
Huge heartfelt thanks to all the kind folks in gorgeous County Kerry for making us feel so warmly welcome. (5 adjective tweet!)

 

I'm wondering how much time will pass between TFA and Ep8 story-wise? It was roughly 10 yrs between 1 & 2, and 3 yrs between 4 & 5, right, or am i wrong?

 

pretty much I would guess around a year or less, so that the characters would still be inexperienced.

 

So, if I am interpreting that article correctly, he is writing Episode 8 and 9? And he is actually writing the story, and not just the screenplay? With no co-writer? Anyone know?

I love it because he is heavily influenced by Phillip K. Dick, who I always wanted to see write a SW story. Looper was hugely influenced by Dick, I think I mentioned in another thread that I thought it must be one of Dick's stories because it was so much like them. I guess Rian was reading a lot of Dick at the time he wrote that movie (per an interview).

 

I'm excited because Rian's also heavily influenced by Katsuhiro Otomo, who wrote Domu and AKIRA, as well as directed the anime adaptation of the latter series. I can't wait to see how he handles the Force from a directing standpoint.

 

JJ, or at least someone associated with Lost, also liked PKD.

http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/VALIS

 

It will be really interesting to see how the story differs from JJ's style.

 

It should still flow.

 

I'm indifferent towards Otomo but Akira is overrated.

 

Bold statement.

 

After George Lucas of course.

We'll have to see what JJ does first.

 

In my mind...Kershner is currently the best SW director ever.

And, No. I'm not having this discussion with you....

 

I was afraid of Rian directing episode 8 up until a week ago when I watched Looper. That movie was very, very good!

 

Agreed, ESB rules. However, GL did direct RotS, the second best of the saga.

 

RotS is easily top 3 for me too.

 

ROTS would be way better for me if it had some extra trimming. Some moments I could have dos without and it'd be a far more concise and solid film for me.

It's still empire and ROTJ for me. I think a new hope is better than jedi but jedis final battle is too perfect

 

Thanks, Star.

Sounds like they're off to the next location.

I am not a fan of Looper, but I'll give this film my usual does it feel like Star Wars first rather than judging on Johnson's past work.

 

I still can't decide between ESB and ANH as my favorites. What keeps ANH there is what some people lament about it. The long, droid-heavy beginning. But the entire section of the film on Tatooine is my favorite section of film across the whole saga. So wonderfully believable and leisurely-paced, while simultaneously tense. It shouldn't work, but it does. The best bit of world-building on screen that exists, IMO.

Following those two, it's ROTJ, TPM, ROTS and then AOTC. I still think that TPM is the most underrated of the PT films, largely because of Chiang's beautiful design work. I would have enjoyed ROTS and ATOC a lot more if it wasn't for Ryan Church's massive ugly stamp on those films. I mean, a multi-limbed vibroblade-wielding robot riding a vehicle that's essentially a wheel with legs, being chased by Obi-Wan on a hideously over-designed giant multi-colored salamander? How did this get through the design process? Less is more, Church.

 

Just let us see the inside of that title page, Rian!

 

I feel like we are going to see alot more stuff this time around during filming for Episode 8. There is no way he will be able to do what JJ did and keep everything in the mystery box.

 

I'd actually suggest that Irvin Kershner is the 'best' Star Wars director.

 

I think Johnson's probably the best director of the lot so far, but out of the OT, Kershner was unquestionably the best director. Lucas always had a problem with directing actors, even before the PT. Kershner was far superior in that regard and that's not even bringing the massive step-up in cinematography and choreography that TESB demonstrated too.

 

Update to previous post.
Keith Calder ‏@keithcalder 6h6 hours ago
@rianjohnson @mattsinger @EricDSnider @GermainLussier oh yeah?

Rian Johnson ‏@rianjohnson 5h5 hours ago
@keithcalder @mattsinger @EricDSnider @GermainLussier I'm disturbed by how fast that happened.

Keith Calder ‏@keithcalder 5h5 hours ago
@rianjohnson @mattsinger @EricDSnider @GermainLussier sorry buddy, I have some bad news for you

Rian Johnson ‏@rianjohnson 5h5 hours ago
@keithcalder @mattsinger @EricDSnider @GermainLussier Calder just won.

Thomas Schnauz ‏@TomSchnauz 5h5 hours ago
@rianjohnson Is that all you've written so far?
Rian Johnson ‏@rianjohnson 5h5 hours ago
@TomSchnauz The pre-viz guys will figure something out.

 

Rian is writing it himself, but there's always the story group. I'm fascinated to learn anything about how this works? At the very least i'm sure the story group including Kasdan and now Abrams are giving him copious notes and questions after each draft. They may have even handed him a basic outline/framework, a 1 or 2 pager with concept and ideas and a list of things he can't do before he started?