Rian Johnson has admitted that ‘sword fight’ scenes from a 60-year-old Japanese film inspired The Last Jedi’s lightsaber fight

Director Rian Johnson helmed the second installment of the Star Wars continuation of the trilogy, The Last Jedi. However, the film proved to be extremely controversial, particularly due to its plot and its treatment of historical figures. Nevertheless, some fans continue to enjoy the film because it deconstructs some of the franchise’s biggest tropes.

In an interview, Johnson spoke about the inspiration behind the film, especially outside of the franchise. In the process, Johnson revealed a nearly sixty-year-old Japanese film that inspired the film. Here’s what Johnson had to say about drawing inspiration from the decades-old film, especially for the lightsaber scenes in The Last Jedi.

Rian Johnson admitted Star Wars: The Last Jedi Was inspired by Three Outlaw Samurai

Star Wars: The Last Jediis the eighth installment in the Skywalker saga and the second installment in the trilogy that follows. The film was directed by Rian Johnson, known for his Knives Out franchise films. Ahead of the film’s release, Johnson sat down for a conversation with Empire, where he was asked which films inspired The Last Jedi.

Three outlaw samurai for the thrill of sword fighting and the overall feeling of pulpy fun.

Johnson made the above statement, citing the 1964 Japanese film as inspiration for his Star Wars The director’s commentary also suggested that the film influenced the lightsaber duels in The Last Jedi.

Given that Three Outlaw Samurai The film falls under the Japanese subgenre of “Chambara,” also known as sword fighting, so it’s easy to see why Johnson cited it as an inspiration. Given that the franchise’s creator, George Lucas, himself drew inspiration from Japanese samurai films, it makes all the more sense that Johnson would look to this subgenre for inspiration.

Rian Johnson revealed the biggest surprise of directing a Star Wars Movie

During the same interview, Johnson was asked about his overall experience of creating a Star Wars Johnson was also asked what aspect of the experience surprised him the most. In response, Johnson said:

I think the biggest surprise was how intimate the process was. It’s huge, for sure, and it’s filled with pressures, big and small.

Johnson suggested that given the vast scope and fantastical nature of the space opera saga, he was surprised that telling a heartfelt story was still what mattered most when crafting a Star Wars movie.

The Last Jedi was released on December 15, 2017, to generally mixed reviews from fans and critics. The treatment and characterization of Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill, remains the most debated topic of the film. It managed to gross $1.334 billion, nearly half of its predecessor’s $2.071 billion, proving divisive on almost every measure.

THE Star Wars movies, including The Last Jediare broadcast on Disney+.