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Not many names are as synonymous with Star Wars as George Lucas. The man created one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of all time nearly fifty years ago. And luckily for Star Wars fans, the phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down. Fans may have mixed opinions on some of the movies, but sadly, all the behind-the-scenes shenanigans during the formation of the recent sequel trilogy left some fans with a sour taste in their mouths.
George Lucas wasn’t involved with the Disney sequel trilogy, leaving it as a big question mark for fans long before any of the movies were even released. As the years have gone on, more and more indications have come to light regarding what a sequel to his original trilogy might have looked like, if Lucas himself had continued the story. With many left unsatisfied with the most recent effort, some wonder if George Lucas had the secret to success all along.
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George Lucas Had Plans For A Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
George Lucas reportedly did have some plans. To a lot of fans, they sound like they could have resulted in something much better than what they ended up with. Despite a variety of ideas allegedly popping up over the years, much of George Lucas’ original plans for a sequel trilogy stem from the 2020 reference book The Star Wars Archives: Episodes I–III (1999–2005). Lucas was interested in continuing a theme with his work. The prequels focused on Anakin Skywalker, while the original trilogy had focused on Anakin’s son Luke. Lucas’s idea for the sequel was set to follow Anakin’s daughter Leia and whatever children she would end up having.
The idea was a sequel following Leia around as she rises to lead the Republic, while Luke began to establish a new Jedi Order, If tht sounds great, it gets better. Lucas was interested in bringing back Darth Maul to serve in a villainous mentor role to a fan-favorite Sith, Darth Talon. It seems that this proposed trilogy would delve into the seedy underworld of the Star Wars universe. Darth Maul would become some kind of crime kingpin ready to bring his unique brand of hate to whatever Jedi remained in the galaxy.
Lucas's Prequels Still Have A Mixed Reputation
The Star Wars Prequels | Rotten Tomatoes Scores |
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Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) |
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Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) |
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Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) |
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George Lucas may seem like a genius to some fans of the series, but to others, he did have a heavy hand in the lackluster prequel trilogy. The first three episodes of the nine-part saga, The Phantom Menace, Attack Of The Clones, and Revenge Of The Sith, have all been the subject of much debate since their release. It was a bold decision to tell fans the story of Anakin Skywalker’s life. This allowed them to see not only the glory of the legendary, Jedi Order but also how a promising young hero could turn into a horrific villain.
Each of the prequels is gorgeous in terms of production for their time. But regardless of how far the movies pushed visual effects, a lot of fans have trouble taking the prequels seriously. Some fans loathe the inclusion of Jar Jar Binks in the series canon. Others hate how whiny and occasionally unjustified Anakin is in terms of how he’s written. Many more hate the bizarre and clunky attempt at Shakespearean dialogue. The trouble here seems to be that, while Lucas undertook story duties yet again, he also took over the process of writing the screenplay and directing. This move resulted in clumsy performances from a cast filled with excellent actors. Interestingly, Lucas has defended his notorious dialogue, as IndieWire points out, giving fans of the prequels something to grasp onto:
It is presented very honestly, it isn’t tongue-in-cheek at all [...] But it is consistent, not only with the rest of the movie, but with the overall Star Wars style. Most people don’t understand the style of Star Wars. They don’t get that there’s an underlying motif that is very much like a 1930s Western or Saturday matinee serial.
Could A Balance Of Lucas And Other Creatives Have Worked Better?
Whether one asks this question about the Star Wars prequels or the sequels, the answer is a resounding yes. In the original series, George Lucas only handled the screenplay and directing for A New Hope. He handed off those duties to other creatives for the next two films, while still being credited for the overall story. The movie that fans view as near-perfect, The Empire Strikes Back, was made with Lucas working purely on the story. With that in mind, it's easy to speculate that the other trilogies could have turned out better if they followed the same formula.
With the prequels, if George Lucas had handed off either the writing or directing, then the overall screenplays could have been improved. This could have helped avoid clunky dialogue, and the actors could have been directed away from wooden performances. Fans could have been spared Hayden Christensen’s whining about sand and love, and Natalie Portman's talent could have been put to better use, if this had been the case. Another writer may have also managed to save Jar Jar Binks, avoided the unnecessary politics, and simplified a lot of the clumsier exposition that appears throughout the trilogy.
When it comes to the sequel trilogy, meanwhile, the Star Wars franchise really needed input from George Lucas. Even if fans didn’t get his fascinating vision for a sequel, Lucas' guidance could have avoided the mess of the sequel trilogy. George Lucas has criticized the sequel trilogy, and it’s not hard to see why. They often relied on nostalgia, especially in The Force Awakens, rather than original ideas. Perhaps if Lucas was there to guide the story, there would never have been a need for Rian Johnson to push for such bold swings in The Last Jedi, and the trilogy wouldn’t have felt rushed and unplanned.
The Star Wars series is available to stream now on Disney+.
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