J.J. Abrams Says 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Haters Are Threatened by Women
After helming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in 2015, J.J. Abrams is now gearing up for his return to the "Star Wars" universe with "Episode IX," the third and final film in the current trilogy. Last weekend, the renowned film director talked about the backlash received by "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" and said it would not impact his upcoming film.
Directed by Rian Johnson, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" may have been a box office success, but it was one of the most divisive movies in the history of the franchise. Although many praised the film, there were a few who criticized it for its apparent focus on female-centric narratives, particularly those of Laura Dern's Admiral Holdo and Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico.
In a recent interview with IndieWire, Abrams said the criticisms surrounding the movie did not stem from the movie itself but from fans who felt like being threatened by women. "'Star Wars' is a big galaxy, and you can sort of find almost anything you want to in 'Star Wars.' If you are someone who feels threatened by women and needs to lash out against them, you can probably find an enemy in 'Star Wars.' You can probably look at the first movie that George Lucas did and say that Leia was too outspoken, or she was too tough," he said. He also added that anyone who wants to find a problem with anything can find the problem, and that the internet seems to be tailor-made for negativity.
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Back in December, a group of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" haters sabotaged the movie's score on Rotten Tomatoes and admitted hating the movie because of too much femininity and diversity. The haters noted that the movie had introduced too many female characters into the "Star Wars" universe to the point of ruining "once good things."
In "Star Wars: Episode IX," fans can expect women to continue to have a strong presence in the "Star Wars" universe, especially since Rey (Daisy Ridley) is getting even more powerful as a Jedi. The film will start filming this summer and will hit theaters in 2019.
