Kathleen Kennedy Looks Back on The Last Jedi Nine Years Later: “One of the Best Star Wars Movies”

Nine years after The Last Jedi hit theaters and permanently split the Star Wars fandom into factions, Kathleen Kennedy isn’t backing away from it.

In a new Deadline exit interview, the outgoing Lucasfilm president not only praises Rian Johnson’s film — she calls it one of the best Star Wars movies — but also suggests the online backlash left a lasting impact on Johnson’s future in the franchise.

Why this matters now

This isn’t just “old Star Wars drama” being rehashed.

Kennedy is stepping away from Lucasfilm leadership, and these interviews are essentially her final on-the-record reflections on the modern Star Wars era — including the moments that shaped it, and the projects that changed the studio’s relationship with fans.

And no movie defines that tension more than The Last Jedi.

What Kathleen Kennedy said about The Last Jedi

Kennedy didn’t hedge her opinion.

She directly praised Rian Johnson’s work:

“I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies.”

She also called Johnson a “brilliant filmmaker” — and then delivered the more revealing part: her belief that the backlash affected his willingness to return.

Kennedy: Rian Johnson got “spooked” after the backlash

According to Kennedy, Johnson didn’t simply drift away because he got busy — she links it to the negativity surrounding The Last Jedi.

“He’s a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked…..This is the rough part.”

Kennedy then describes something that’s become almost routine in modern Star Wars development: creatives asking what kind of online reaction they should expect.

“When people come into this space … every filmmaker and actors says to me, ‘What’s going to happen?’ They’re a little scared”

Whether you agree with her framing or not, it’s a pretty blunt acknowledgment of how the franchise now operates: Star Wars doesn’t just come with pressure — it comes with pre-emptive anxiety.

The bigger truth: The Last Jedi is still the pivot point

Even if you loved the movie, hated it, or still can’t believe Luke tossed that saber like it was trash day — The Last Jedi remains the turning point.

Because it wasn’t just a film.

It became a cultural event about expectations:

• what Star Wars “should” be
• who Star Wars is “for”
• how much legacy should matter
• whether the franchise should comfort fans or challenge them

And Star Wars has been trying to manage the consequences of that conversation ever since.

Why this matters to Star Wars fans

Kennedy’s comments matter because they reveal something fans don’t always want to hear: filmmakers notice the backlash.

Not in a “they can’t take criticism” way — but in the practical sense of:

• career risk
• mental load
• reputational damage
• whether the project will be creatively worth it

And if top-level creatives are hesitant about Star Wars, that affects what Lucasfilm can realistically attract and retain long-term.

The Last Word on The Last Jedi

This isn’t Kennedy rewriting history — it’s Kennedy doubling down.

She clearly sees The Last Jedi as a creative high point of her era, even if it was also one of the most turbulent.

And her comments suggest Lucasfilm has learned a harsh lesson from 2017: Star Wars isn’t just about what happens on-screen anymore.

It’s about what happens afterward.

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