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'Star Wars' Actor and Friend to J.J Abrams Doesn't Believe There's a Director's Cut of 'The Rise of Skywalker'

By Mae Harrington O'Neill

Greg Grunberg gives eye-opening interview about 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' and more.
Greg Grunberg gives eye-opening interview about 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' and more. / JC Olivera/Getty Images

Star Wars fans who are waiting for a director's cut of The Rise of Skywalker might be setting themselves up for disappointment.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, childhood friend of J.J. Abrams and Star Wars actor Greg Grunberg spoke about a wide range of topics, from how he met Abrams to the creative transition between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Grunberg even had some choice words for critics of his friends' work on the most recent Star Wars installment. "When the movie came out, I was so pissed off and angry about one specific criticism that I heard. It said, ‘Oh, he's just pandering to the fans,' Grunberg said. "It's like, ‘What are you talking about? A movie like this is all about satisfying the fans.'"

Fans who were dissatisfied with the 2019 film cooked up a theory (based on a few rumors) that Abrams was pressured by executives at Disney to make The Rise of Skywalker more fan-friendly, and that somewhere out there lurking is a director’s cut with Abrams’ “real” version of the movie. Hence, the #ReleaseTheJJCut hashtag was born.

However, Grunberg says the "director's cut" is just a rumor, after talking to Abrams throughout the duration of filming. "I'm being completely honest here, but not once did he ever tell me that there was any pressure on him to cut things out," the actor revealed. "Personally, I don't think there's any truth to that, and I would be surprised if there's a ‘J.J. cut.' Every movie goes through a series of cuts; it's just the nature of it. I don't buy into it at all."

The interview is a must read for Star Wars fans, with Grunberg discussing his time on set, his friendship with Abrams, and the time he partied with Carrie Fisher. You can check it out here. And even if there is no director's cut, fans have season two of The Mandalorian to look forward to! To sign up for a Disney+ subscription right now to watch the first season, along all the latest content fit for the whole family, click the link here.