- The Washington Times - Thursday, November 9, 2017

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” appears to be just the beginning of a long relationship between Disney and director Rian Johnson.

The man behind the next installment of the “Star Wars” franchise has inked a deal with Disney to develop a new trilogy with collaborator Ram Bergman. The announcement was made Thursday by Disney chairman-CEO Bob Iger.

“We had the time of our lives collaborating with Lucasfilm and Disney on ’The Last Jedi,’” Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bergman said in a joint statement, Variety reported. “’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.”

Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, also released a statement of high praise for the director.

“We all loved working with Rian on ’The Last Jedi,’” she said. “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.”

Disney also announced plans to create a live-action “Star Wars” TV series for its upcoming streaming service.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” hits North American theaters on Dec. 15.

The film stars John Boyega, Adam Driver, the late Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Daisy Ridley.

• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.

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