Abstract
Star Wars is heralded as an example of film as religion and the mythic masterpiece of auteur George Lucas. Of course, Star Wars, and its fandom, has received its fair share of criticism over the years. This chapter suggests that myth, auteurism, and the connection between religion and film might be better theorized as corporate cultural productions emerging at the tension between audience and creator. Episode VII: The Last Jedi serves as a powerful example of these tensions as Rian Johnson’s installment thrives on these tensions in self-critical ways, especially as it centers around issues of “canon”–in and outside of the film.
Related Media
Bibliography
Richard Newton, “Myth of the Auteur and the Authentic in Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in Representing Religion in Film, edited by Tenzan Eaghll and Rebekka King. (Bloomsbury 2022).
