Rian Johnson Says Russian Bots Launched Campaign To Keep Hux Alive In The Last Jedi

It might sound strange, but Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson says that Russian bots actually launched an online campaign to keep General Hux ( Domhnal Gleeson) from being killed in The Force Awakens sequel.

Speaking in the documentary The Director and the Jedi which premiered at this year's SXSW on Monday (via Film School Rejects), Johnson talks about discovering a highly coordinated effort to sway the storyline of The Last Jedi in an effort to keep Hux alive.

According to the filmmaker Russian accounts kept targeting his account on social media with #HuxLive, hoping that they could convince the director to keep from killing Hux off in The Last Jedi.

"It's amazing," Johnson said. "There's a coordinated effort by these Russian accounts. Hundreds of them."

Though Johnson did end up letting Hux live to see another day, the director did have the First Order Officer bullied throughout the film, first by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and then by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), mostly for comedic relief.

It's a mystery why Russian bots would be so interested in General Hux in The Last Jedi. After all, Gleeson isn't even Russian. Maybe Russian's are hoping that Hux, a symbol of authoritarianism, might rise to power in Episode IX? Who knows, really.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now available on Digital HD. The film will release on Blu-Ray and DVD on March 27.

Read: Star Wars: The Last Jedi Bonus Featurette Explores Leia's Showdown With Kylo Ren