Oscar Isaac Says that Star Wars Episode IX Has a Looser, More Improvisational Feel than VII and VIII

When Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired from Solo, a major point of contention was their loose, improvisational style of working. Apparently there's got to be more to the story than that, as Oscar Isaac intimated in a recent interview that the production of Star Wars Episode IX has been chock full of looseness and freewheeling improvisation.

While speaking with IndieWire, the actor gave us some insight into the production process on Episode IX, saying that director J.J. Abrams appears to be more confident this time around, and that is true of the actors on set as well...

“The way they’ve been shooting it right now is looser than it’s been for the last two times,” he said, clarifying that Abrams has been allowing more improvisation on the set. “It does feel like a relief to get on set and feel like, ‘Oh, we can try things.’ It’s a testament to J.J. coming back and feeling confident. There’s less pressure for it to be right. We just want to make a good movie and have a really good time while doing it.”

He then goes on to make a comparison that may send shivers down the spines of cinephiles, calling it "Cassavettes in Space" but it turns out he's just kidding...

“Often, you do feel like you’ve got to find your way to make something more alive, but this time, it’s been the opposite,” he said. “There’s no need to smuggle anything in there.”

While he's mum about any more details than that, he does make it clear that any negative fan reaction to The Last Jedi has not fundamentally changed anything they were planning to do with the film...

“Luckily, since I’m not directing it, producing it, or distributing it, I don’t have to worry so much about fan expectations,” he said. “Also, not all fans have the same expectations.”

"Not all fans have the same expectations" should be printed on t-shirts and sold online. I think that's a great statement and one that can hopefully help us all find common ground in the Star Wars Universe once again. Episode IX is due in theaters next December.