It’s safe to assume Rian Johnson has entrenched his role in the Star Wars universe for many years to come.
In breaking news, Disney and Lucasfilm have announced today that The Last Jedi writer-director will develop a fourth Star Wars trilogy along with longtime collaborator Ram Berman attached to produce the films. The story will be separate from the Skywalker saga and feature a new cast of characters.
President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy said in an official statement:
“We all loved working with Rian on The Last Jedi. He’s a creative force, and watching him craft The Last Jedi from start to finish was one of the great joys of my career. Rian will do amazing things with the blank canvas of this new trilogy.”
The company has long said they wish to expand upon the Star Wars lore and after navigating some troubled relationships with filmmakers on other Star Wars projects, signing Rian Johnson to a long-term contract brings stability to their cornerstone of the franchise.
“We had the time of our lives collaborating with Lucasfilm and Disney on The Last Jedi. Star Wars is the greatest modern mythology and we feel very lucky to have contributed to it. We can’t wait to continue with this new series of films.”
Johnson and Bergman said in a joint statement.
No release dates have been set for the new films, but Star Wars fans will have plenty to look forward to with Solo: A Star Wars Story, Episode IX and an Obi-Wan spin-off movie all in various stages of development.
Johnson’s upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives in theaters on December 15, 2017.