There are so, so many reasons to love Rian Johnson but his unbridled enthusiasm for Star Wars has, thus far, stolen our hearts. And in the latest bit of marketing material released in anticipation of The Last Jedi‘s arrival in theaters, Johnson’s all-of-us-ness is on full, glorious display (alongside some very cute new creature shots and character moments we’ve not yet seen).
After all, this is the man who codenamed his Star Wars film “Space Bear.”
While speaking with USA Today (who had the exclusive on the video), Johnson explained that this go around, “we get to kind of put them through a meat grinder. (Laughs) And for me, part of that meant that we had to make things as hard on each of them as possible” because, as he put it, “When I first read the script of The Force Awakens, I was like, ‘I feel like I know these characters instantly,'” so they had to be challenged to further learn who they are.
And those challenges seem pretty intense based on the new footage glimpses revealed in the featurette. From that cutie space horse hanging out in what looks to be a stable, to Finn and Rose’s undercover adventures, and that ominous red room that feels like PRIMO Snoke territory, the increasingly clear fact about Episode VIII is one filled with trying times for our new trio of heroes (and Luke and Leia and all our favorite droids).
If we thought this jovial little Space Bear, Rian Johnson, was going to give us a Porg-filled star jaunt of cutie-fun proportions…maybe think again. Because it sounds deceptively darker than what we were expecting.
What do you think, though? Let us know in the comments below.
Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor, creator/host of Fangirling, and resident Khaleesi of House Nerdist. Find her on Twitter!
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