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[LordOfLore]

Link. Keep the Lucas hate to a minimum.

Despite his retirement, the godfather of Star Wars still weighs in occasionally about the new films.

And George Lucas has one main area of interest: the Jedi.

Since The Last Jedi will take fans on a journey to the primitive first temple of the Force-wielding order, it seems like a good time to revisit a comment Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made to EW at this year's Star Wars Celebration.

Kennedy, who has known and worked with Lucas since their Raiders of the Lost Ark days, was asked if he still offers input into the films and stories being developed.

”Not really," she said. ”But he'll whisper in my ear every now and then. Usually it's something specific or important to him about Jedi training. Things like that."

In the new film, out Dec. 15, Daisy Ridley's Rey returns Luke's family lightsaber to him but is shocked at the legendary hero's refusal to return to the fight. Writer-director Rian Johnson promises the movie will justify Luke's pledge: ”I only know one truth — it's time for the Jedi to end."

Lucas, who sold his company to Disney in a $4 billion deal in 2012, has occasionally visited the sets of the films, but Rogue One director Gareth Edwards said his suggestions were limited to jokes and encouragement to not ”screw up."

Although his original story treatments for where the saga might go have gone largely unused, Kennedy said some of the broader ideas are still providing the foundation, like handing off the heroism to a new group of characters.

”I think he's starting to settle into this and just be a fan," she said. ”It's taken a while. It's hard to let go, after 40 years. That's a lot of expectation and things he thought a lot about. Suddenly that next generation, that whole thematic idea he came up with, is in process."

Just like Luke, Lucas may yet have some important guidance, even though he has taken himself out of the game.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Sounds like conversations between two old friends.

 

[elrechazado]

Stockholm syndrome with the white slavers

 

[SpaceWolf]

I'd do anything to read Lucas's original treatment for the new trilogy.

 

[kulapik]

As long as they ignore them, fine by me.

 

[strafer]

I'd do anything to read Lucas's original treatment for the new trilogy.

They are probably locked away somewhere for when Lucas buys back Star Wars and makes a new trilogy.

 

[Haines]

Non story

 

[Extra Sauce]

As long as they ignore them, fine by me.

The Force Awakens is a good movie but it could have used a few more original ideas.

Lucas is a great idea man, just don't let him write screenplays.

 

[Faiz]

Long time friend and employee still talks with former boss about work stuff.

Sounds pretty normal.

 

[DoctorFling]

"Please don't forget that the Jedi are sexless creeps who sort out tax disputes"

 

[oddj0b]

The first three movies were huge successes, at this point it'd be wise to listen to master Lucas imo

 

[Sephzilla]

Considering Lucas ruined the mystique of The Jedi with the prequel trilogy by turning then into fucking morons, I don't think that's something he should be giving input on.

 

[mjc]

"Please don't forget that the Jedi are sexless creeps who sort out tax disputes"

Space bureaucrats AHOY

 

[Majine]

Okay George, we'll put it on the refridgerator where everyone can see it.

 

[KojiKnight]

"Please don't forget that the Jedi are sexless creeps who sort out tax disputes"

Except nearly every star wars story from the movies to EU to video games have them having sex or tempted by it quite often. But hey, could be worse. At least they are never implied to touch younglings.

 

[MarkMclovin]

Title of the thread is actually stronger than Lucas's 'suggestions'.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Lucas did an awful job with the new trilogy, but hey, at least he didn't went the soft reboot path and basically re-telling the same plot to keep it safe!

 

[Bert409]

In the topic, the "ruined my childhood" crowd will once again ignore George's involvement with the Clone Wars show. Give the guy a break already.

 

[WhatNXt]

The Force Awakens is a good movie but it could have used a few more original ideas.

Lucas is a great idea man, just don't let him write screenplays.

The Force Awakens is a "well executed" Star Wars movie, it's a safe star wars movie, I enjoyed the experience - but the fact it retreaded so much ground is what prevents it from being a "good" one to me. So much of what joy there was came from seeing old faces again, and decent casting for the protagonists and villain. Hopefully the sequels will live or die on their merits. The DeathStarXtreme was lame. If Lucas had given us CG Snoke, the Internet would have jumped down his throat.

In many respects, Lucas is great at the world building and the ideas side of things, and he arguably advanced digital effects and digital photography in cinema more than anybody else. On the prequels, he just needed fewer yes men and personal friends at his side, and more rewrites. But that wasn't his way. He'd made all his money, so he could do whatever he wanted. It's his world, I think it's only right the people who have inherited it would still listen to what he has to say.

 

[Sephzilla]

Lucas did an awful job with the new trilogy, but hey, at least he didn't went the soft reboot path and basically re-telling the same plot to keep it safe!

Are you sure? Lets recap Episode 1

Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin finds Luke Anakin Skywalker on planet Tattooine, determines he could become a Jedi knight, and together they go off on an adventure together to save Princess Leia Amidala from the grips of the Galactic Empire Trade Federation and destroy the Death Star Droid Command Station in order to save the planet Yavin Naboo. Tragically, though, Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin loses his life to the evil Darth Vader Maul before he could finish training Luke Anakin. Additionally, Yoda initially refuses to train Luke Anakin because he feels he's too old and Obi-Wan has to insist. Then at the end of the movie, everyone gathers for one big medal ceremony glowing orb ceremony while victorious music plays.

Lucas's prequel trilogy apes a ton from the original trilogy. "It's like poetry, it rhymes"

 

[DoctorFling]

In the topic, the "ruined my childhood" crowd will once again ignore George's involvement with the Clone Wars show. Give the guy a break already.

I love George but his bad ideas from the prequels were still bad in the Clone Wars. It was a good show in spite of them and some of his other ideas were really great in it.

 

[shaneo632]

Nothing new about this. It's always been known that Lucas was still giving them the dos and donts of the lore.

 

[HazySaiyan]

George Lucas? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time...

 

[Vagabundo]

The new trilogy could definitely use more Lucas ; its off to a very shaky start.

 

[DoctorFling]

George Lucas? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time...

He was the worst screenwriter in the galaxy and a cunning businessman. And he was a good friend.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Are you sure? Lets recap Episode 1

Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin finds Luke Anakin Skywalker on planet Tattooine, determines he could become a Jedi knight, and together they go off on an adventure together to save Princess Leia Amidala from the grips of the Galactic Empire Trade Federation and destroy the Death Star Droid Command Station in order to save the planet Yavin Naboo. Tragically, though, Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin loses his life to the evil Darth Vader Maul before he could finish training Luke Anakin. Additionally, Yoda initially refuses to train Luke Anakin because he feels he's too old and Obi-Wan has to insist. Then at the end of the movie, everyone gathers for one big medal ceremony glowing orb ceremony while victorious music plays.

Lucas's prequel trilogy apes a ton from the original trilogy. "It's like poetry, it rhymes"

This is reaching.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

The new trilogy could definitely use more Lucas ; its off to a very shaky start.

Critical and commercial success is a "very shaky start"

Uhh...

 

[Sephzilla]

This is reaching.

Not really. Episode 1 has a bunch of intentional ANH parallels and the prequel trilogy as a whole reaches to go "REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY?" a ton.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Are you sure? Lets recap Episode 1

Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin finds Luke Anakin Skywalker on planet Tattooine, determines he could become a Jedi knight, and together they go off on an adventure together to save Princess Leia Amidala from the grips of the Galactic Empire Trade Federation and destroy the Death Star Droid Command Station in order to save the planet Yavin Naboo. Tragically, though, Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin loses his life to the evil Darth Vader Maul before he could finish training Luke Anakin. Additionally, Yoda initially refuses to train Luke Anakin because he feels he's too old and Obi-Wan has to insist. Then at the end of the movie, everyone gathers for one big medal ceremony glowing orb ceremony while victorious music plays.

Lucas's prequel trilogy apes a ton from the original trilogy. "It's like poetry, it rhymes"

But

ORIGINALITY

 

[Bronx-Man]

Luke in TLJ is an allegory for George post-Star Wars

it's like poetry

 

[jtb]

Good for him.

 

[Ushojax]

This is reaching.

Not really. George deliberately copied as much from the OT as possible, to him it was poetic not lazy.

I can just imagine him calling up Kathy Kennedy and blathering about how important it is that all young Jedi have one of those stupid rat tails.

 

[Contica]

He's in his full right, he created it. I think he's made some turds, but Star Wars is his creation, and as far as I'm concerned he's the only one who has the answers.

When someone takes over someone else's creation like Disney did in this case, it rarely feels genuine to me, and it slightly feels like fan fiction. I'm saying that as a very casual fan.

 

[Voidwolf]

Are you sure? Lets recap Episode 1

Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin finds Luke Anakin Skywalker on planet Tattooine, determines he could become a Jedi knight, and together they go off on an adventure together to save Princess Leia Amidala from the grips of the Galactic Empire Trade Federation and destroy the Death Star Droid Command Station in order to save the planet Yavin Naboo. Tragically, though, Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin loses his life to the evil Darth Vader Maul before he could finish training Luke Anakin. Additionally, Yoda initially refuses to train Luke Anakin because he feels he's too old and Obi-Wan has to insist. Then at the end of the movie, everyone gathers for one big medal ceremony glowing orb ceremony while victorious music plays.

Lucas's prequel trilogy apes a ton from the original trilogy. "It's like poetry, it rhymes"

I know I've read this post before but I felt like it was better last time.

 

[Glass Rebel]

This is reaching.

I agree that it's super reductive to reduce stories to the most basic of plotpoints.

 

[Sephzilla]

I know I've read this post before but I felt like it was better last time.

i've used a variation of it before and yeah the old version was better (couldn't find it again)

 

[WhatNXt]

Are you sure? Lets recap Episode 1

Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin finds Luke Anakin Skywalker on planet Tattooine, determines he could become a Jedi knight, and together they go off on an adventure together to save Princess Leia Amidala from the grips of the Galactic Empire Trade Federation and destroy the Death Star Droid Command Station in order to save the planet Yavin Naboo. Tragically, though, Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jin loses his life to the evil Darth Vader Maul before he could finish training Luke Anakin. Additionally, Yoda initially refuses to train Luke Anakin because he feels he's too old and Obi-Wan has to insist. Then at the end of the movie, everyone gathers for one big medal ceremony glowing orb ceremony while victorious music plays.

Lucas's prequel trilogy apes a ton from the original trilogy. "It's like poetry, it rhymes"

TPM had a ton of callbacks yes, but each of the prequels had plenty of self-contained narrative and ideas (that people largely hated). TPM had disputes between the indigenous races of Naboo, Trade Federation nonsense, droid armies, slave society on Tatooine, pod racing, a different, more acrobatic style of lightsaber duel, a look at Coruscant society before the Empire, the senate in action, the Jedi Council chambers, a wouldbe Emperor in Senators clothing, stupid farting aliens etc.

TFA had some new stuff too. Cool post-rebellion, post-war imagery, AT-ATs rusting in deserts, downed Star Destroyers, that weird anti-lightsaber gun thing, Maz Kanata, hints at a hitherto unrevealed series of events between Episode 6 and 7. My favourite part of the film is probably the opening and the time Rey spends on Tattooine Jakku. A great proportion of the movie though was "Hey look! X-Wings! Remember X-Wings? Remember Chewbacca? Remember Han Solo? Remember the Death Star? Remember Storm Troopers? They come in chrome now! Trash compactors! Weak points! Massive damage!". It leaned heavily on replicating and referencing the story beats of ANH in a much closer sense than TPM did. Probably for quite deliberate reasons. Too safe IMO.

Don't get me wrong, in terms of tone, visual quality and delivery of the overall product -
it's leagues better than TPM.

 

[Rookhelm]

He's in his full right, he created it. I think he's made some turds, but Star Wars is his creation, and as far as I'm concerned he's the only one who has the answers.

When someone takes over someone else's willingly gives their creation to Disney did in this case, it rarely feels genuine to me, and it slightly feels like fan fiction. I'm saying that as a very casual fan.

FTFY

 

[Glass Rebel]

TPM had a ton of callbacks yes, but each of the prequels had plenty of self-contained narrative and ideas (that people largely hated). TPM had disputes between the indigenous races of Naboo, Trade Federation nonsense, droid armies, slave society on Tatooine, pod racing, a different, more acrobatic style of lightsaber duel, a look at Coruscant society before the Empire, the senate in action, the Jedi Council chambers, a wouldbe Emperor in Senators clothing, stupid farting aliens etc.

TFA had some new stuff too. Cool post-rebellion, post-war imagery, AT-ATs rusting in deserts, downed Star Destroyers, that weird anti-lightsaber gun thing, Maz Kanata, hints at a hitherto unrevealed series of events between Episode 6 and 7. My favourite part of the film is probably the opening and the time Rey spends on Tattooine Jakku. A great proportion of the movie though was "Hey look! X-Wings! Remember X-Wings? Remember Chewbacca? Remember Han Solo? Remember the Death Star? Remember Storm Troopers? They come in chrome now! Trash compactors! Weak points! Massive damage!". It leaned heavily on replicating and referencing the story beats of ANH in a much closer sense than TPM did. Probably for quite deliberate reasons. Too safe IMO.

Don't get me wrong, in terms of tone, visual quality and delivery of the overall product -
it's leagues better than TPM.

 

[hotcyder]

George: What if they did -
Kathleen: So we'll recreate the iconic sabre fight from Empire here
George: You could add -
Kathleen: We'll have another big familiar reveal just like Empire there

 

[Vagabundo]

Critical and commercial success is a "very shaky start"

Uhh...

I don't get enjoyment from something based on its commercial or critical success. Majorly disappointed in TFA.

 

[CreepingFear]

Paging Bobby Roberts! Paging Bobby Roberts!

 

[bachikarn]

The Force Awakens is a good movie but it could have used a few more original ideas.

Lucas is a great idea man, just don't let him write screenplays.

It was a soft reboot by design. The script writers could have come up with some more good original ideas, but they chose not to deviate from the first three.

 

[KeyBladerXIII]

George: What if they did -
Kathleen: So we'll recreate the iconic sabre fight from Empire here
George: You could add -
Kathleen: We'll have another big familiar reveal just like Empire there

That's what I'm dreading.

I'm sure Lucas could have come up with something better than "Death Star...but EXTREME and can blow up 3 planets at the same time!"

 

[Azuran]

The Force Awakens being so mediocre perfectly showed why George Lucas is one of the greatest creators of our time.

That movie had no heart or soul at all. You can tell it was made by suits who only wanted to sell more toys instead of telling a compelling story. The fact that they had the gall to rip off Lucas' original story is even more pathetic. I'm expecting TLJ to be yet another safe and mediocre film that no one will look back in admiration 30 years from now.

 

[Lifejumper]

JJ mantra for the movie was always go back in order to go forward. Love it or hate it.

 

[SpaceWolf]

The Force Awakens being so mediocre perfectly showed why George Lucas is one of the greatest creators of our time.

That movie had no heart or soul at all. You can tell it was made by suits who only wanted to sell more toys instead of telling a compelling story.

You realize you're talking about George Lucas, right?

Lucas Cared More About Toys, Says Star Wars Producer

The original producer of the first two Star Wars movies says that Lucas's priorities shifted away from film making after Empire Strikes Back, which vastly changed the shape of Return of the Jedi.

Two men were present at the birth of Star Wars, one of the biggest media franchises of all time. One of them was George Lucas, and the other was Gary Kurtz. Kurtz served as producer for both Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back, but said that after the second movie, Lucas cared more about the merchandising than he did about the films.

By 1980, the Star Wars toys made three times as much as the actual films so it was natural that LucasFilm's priority as a business was to protect that source of revenue, but Kurtz feels that this meant the movies themselves suffered. "The emphasis on the toys, it's like the cart driving the horse," he said. "If it wasn't for that the films would be done for their own merits. The creative team wouldn't be looking over their shoulder all the time."

The focus on merchandise had a huge effect on Return of the Jedi, Kurtz said. The original outline called for a much more grim ending to the trilogy, with the rebel forces in disarray, Leia struggling with her new responsibilities as queen, Luke walking off into the sunset, and Han dead in the second act. But Lucas didn't want that, Kurtz explained, and changed the outline significantly. "Instead of bittersweet and poignant he wanted a euphoric ending with everybody happy," Kurtz said. "George then decided he didn't want any of the principals killed. By that time there were really big toy sales and that was a reason."

 

[aBarreras]

member south park?

 

[balladofwindfishes]

I don't get enjoyment from something based on its commercial or critical success. Majorly disappointed in TFA.

Millions of people were not disappointed and believe TFA is the best Star Wars movie released since VI. And in my opinion, it's actually a better movie than VI.

Lucas Cared More About Toys, Says Star Wars Producer

Haha, yea, if there was ever a movie that was nothing more than a giant toy commercial, filled with stuff to pander to various demographics and sell stuff, it's Attack of the Clones

 

[DonShula]

He's in his full right, he created it. I think he's made some turds, but Star Wars is his creation, and as far as I'm concerned he's the only one who has the answers.

When someone takes over someone else's creation like Disney did in this case, it rarely feels genuine to me, and it slightly feels like fan fiction. I'm saying that as a very casual fan.

Except in this case, the prequel trilogy reads like fan fiction and the two newest movies are way more coherent.