TIME Special Edition - The Story of Star Wars, 2023

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45 TH ANNIVERSARY
THE STORY OF
STAR WARS
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SPECIAL EDITION
45 TH ANNIVERSARY
THE STORY OF
STAR WARS
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44 77
2
The Story of STAR WARS
Contents
4 Modern Mythology
Chapter 1
6 BIRTH OF A GALAXY
Before he created Star Wars, George Lucas had an even more ambitious goal.
He wanted to blow up the ways of Old Hollywood
8 Young Rebel
16 A Force
24 Creating Magic
34 TIME Capsule
Chapter 2
44 BUILDING A FRANCHISE
What started as a tribute to Flash Gordon quickly grew into a billion-dollar
multimedia behemoth
46 The Saga Continues…
56 A Toy Story
62 The 45 Greatest Moments in Star Wars History
70 The TIME Star Wars Covers
Chapter 3
74 TODAY, TOMORROW AND BEYOND

After 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, the Star Wars franchise took a moment to pause,
then pivoted toward the future
76 How The Mandalorian Changed the Future of Star Wars
88 Coming Soon to a TV Near You
93 What About the Movies?
3
Introduction
Modern
Mythology
Over its 45-year history, the Star Wars franchise has been
unique. No other pop-culture phenomenon
has been held so close to the hearts of so many people
By Glenn Greenberg
T
HERE IS NO KNOWN DATE FOR WHEN when I was a child. … My main reason for making
the ancient Greeks or Romans first it was to give young people an honest, wholesome
shared their stories about gods, monsters fantasy life, the kind my generation had.”
and heroes. There’s no way to be sure No one could predict just how much Lucas’
when the legends of King Arthur and the knights of creation would catch on—not even Lucas himself or
the Round Table were first told. But for the modern the film’s star Mark Hamill, who played young hero
myth known as Star Wars, that date is May 25, 1977, Luke Skywalker. “I had no idea it would be as
when the original movie, then called Star Wars (later successful as it was,” Hamill said in 2017, marking
subtitled Episode IV—A New Hope), opened in the original film’s 40th anniversary. “I just thought,
theaters and kicked off a global phenomenon that I would be a fan of this even if I weren’t involved.”
spanned films, TV shows, novels, comic books, toys, Through six live-action movies, one animated
lunchboxes, bedsheets, apparel, jewelry and more. feature and several animated TV shows released
It also ushered in a new era of moviemaking, one that over 35 years, Lucas was the ultimate authority—
saw the development of dazzling special effects and and the final word—on Star Wars. In 2012, he sold
the tools to achieve them. After Star Wars, filmmakers his production company, Lucasfilm Ltd., to the
felt free to bring their wildest ideas to life in totally Walt Disney Co. and ended his direct creative
realistic ways that left audiences thrilled. involvement with the franchise. But his influence
Today, Star Wars remains an enduring touchstone can still be felt, guiding his successors as they
of pop culture. Critically acclaimed (or not), the move forward with all-new projects.
movies continue to be blockbusters. On Disney+, Why did Star Wars become such a powerful
live-action TV shows The Mandalorian, The Book of force? Hamill credits its ability to satisfy the human
Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor have been need for escapism. “People need the therapeutic
embraced by fans. More live-action shows, including value of going away to some happy place,” he said,
ones based on beloved characters like Ahsoka Tano “whether it’s Oz or Narnia or Middle Earth or
and Lando Calrissian, are in the works. A stream of Hogwarts. I think it appeals to children of all ages.
Star Wars-themed merchandise still flows for kids It doesn’t matter if you’re 6 or 60, it appeals to the
and collectors alike. optimistic young idealism that I think every person
And just as we know when the mythology began, has, however buried it might be.”
we also know who invented it: writer-director Optimistic young idealism, coupled with the
George Lucas. His inspiration, he told TIME in 1977, power of unlimited imagination—a formidable
was “all the books and films and comics that I liked combo, whether on Earth or in a galaxy far, far away.
4
5
Chapter 1
BIRTH
OF A
GALAXY Before he created Star Wars,
George Lucas had an even more ambitious goal.
He wanted to blow up the ways of
Old Hollywood
Young
Rebel
George Lucas’ own coming-of-age
story was the inspiration
for his earliest work as a filmmaker
By Bob Der
Director George Lucas in 1974. Lucas’ passion for entertainment began when he was a young boy, after his
father brought home the family’s first television in 1954.
8
9
T
HE THEME OF REBELLION LIES AT THE George derived pleasure from pursuing interests
heart of George Lucas’ movies—probably that fired his imagination. “When I was very young,
because he was a disrupter himself. I loved make-believe,” Lucas told writer Alan
Though he often came off as quiet and Arnold in 1979. When his father brought home the
shy, a strong independent streak ran through him, family’s first television in May 1954, the impact on
one that put him at odds with people personally and the boy was profound. He became an avid viewer
professionally. The temperament also helped him of old film serials, which had been a regular part of
become one of the most important—and richest— the moviegoing experience from the silent era up
people in the movie industry. to the 1950s and were experiencing a second life in
Born on May 14, 1944, Lucas was raised in TV syndication. As Lucas absorbed a variety of
Modesto, Calif., the third of four children—and Westerns, crime stories, jungle adventures,
the only son—born to mother Dorothy and father superheroes and science fiction, one character stood
George Walton Lucas Sr. The Lucas family was out above the rest. “I especially loved the Flash
not wealthy, but it enjoyed financial stability, Gordon serials,” he told Arnold.
as George Sr. owned and operated a successful Lucas also enjoyed reading, particularly
stationery store. adventure stories like Robert Louis Stevenson’s
Small and slight as a child, Lucas often found Kidnapped and Treasure Island and Johann David
himself a target for bullies. “I was always on the Wyss’ The Swiss Family Robinson, as well as
lookout for the evil monster that lurked around the histories and biographies. He especially loved
corner,” he said years later. Turning inward, young comic books, appreciating how they melded
pictures and words to tell stories. Lucas gravitated
toward science-fiction comics, as well as the
exploits of the Walt Disney character Scrooge
McDuck, the fabulously rich—and frugal—uncle
of Donald, written and illustrated by Carl Barks.
One of his other great loves was Disneyland. He
and his family attended the opening of the park in
1955 and made many return visits. For young
George, it was an immersive, captivating place. “I
was in heaven,” he said years later.
That was not the case when it came to school,
especially as Lucas entered his teens. His grades
were not particularly strong, nor was his interest
in classroom assignments. “I always wanted to learn
something other than what was being taught,”
he explained.
Around the same time, he developed a passion
for cars. “That was the most important thing in
my life from about the ages of 14 to 20,” he said.
Once Lucas had a car of his own, an Autobianchi
Bianchina, he drove it as fast as he could, relishing
the speeds he could achieve thanks to modifications
he made to the vehicle. He dreamed of becoming a
race-car driver.
Having a car also gave Lucas freedom. Frequently,
he drove himself to Berkeley to explore and watch
Above: Flash Gordon was a favorite of Lucas’. art films—particularly the works of French New
Opposite page: Disneyland opens in 1955. Wave directors Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc
10
11
12
Opposite page: Francis Ford Coppola at work at American Zoetrope studio in San Francisco in 1970.
Below: Lucas on the set of THX 1138.
Godard, and a variety of underground, avant-garde,

experimental movies. As his grades continued to
slip and he started keeping erratic hours, tensions
rose between him and his disapproving father.
The conflict boiled over when, at 18, Lucas went
to work for George Sr., who had long envisioned
his son joining the family business and eventually
taking over. George hated the experience of
working at the store and disliked his father’s plan
for his future even more. He quit the job, prompting
his father to warn him that he’d be back someday
after failing at whatever crazy dreams he had for
himself. “I’ll never be back,” Lucas replied. “As a
matter of fact, I’m going to be a millionaire before
I’m 30!” According to Lucas, his father basically
wrote him off after the fight. “He thought I would
go off and starve to death as some kind of artist,”
he said.
A short time later, Lucas would indeed have a
close brush with death—but not from starvation.
On June 12, 1962, just days before his high school
graduation, Lucas was driving home when his
Bianchina was struck by another car being driven
at high speed by one of his classmates. Lucas’ car cinema, that’s obscure enough,” Lucas said. “He
rolled several times and smashed into a tree. He was didn’t know what it was, and he didn’t care as long
thrown clear before impact but was still badly as I wasn’t in the art department.”
injured and spent the next four months recuperating.
B
After the accident, Lucas abandoned the idea of Y LATE 1967, LUCAS WAS STILL AT USC,
becoming a race-car driver and decided to further studying as a graduate student. The
his education by enrolling in junior college. He took following year, he won a Warner Bros.
courses that particularly interested him, including scholarship to observe the making of the musical
sociology, anthropology and psychology. He also Finian’s Rainbow, directed by a 28-year-old Francis
took up photography and illustration as he Ford Coppola. The two film-school grads bonded
continued to watch experimental films. A chance on set. “We were the only people on the production
meeting with renowned cinematographer—and under 50,” Lucas said in 1988. They got along so
fellow car enthusiast—Haskell Wexler became a well that Coppola recruited Lucas to assist him
friendship, which helped inspire Lucas’ decision to on his next movie, 1969’s The Rain People. During
transfer to the University of Southern California production, Lucas, with Coppola’s consent, made a
School of Cinematic Arts. “In a way, movies replaced short documentary, Filmmaker, that chronicled his
my love for cars,” Lucas told Film Quarterly in 1974. friend as he worked.
Lucas’ father agreed to pay for tuition, books and Coppola and Lucas were kindred spirits in that
fees—as long as George finally applied himself to they both craved complete control. Together they
earning good grades. Lucas suspected that this founded a production company, American
support came from the fact that George Sr. didn’t Zoetrope, intended to be an oasis for talented young
fully grasp his son’s intended major. “I couldn’t be filmmakers and creative, unconventional films that
an art major—that would have upset my father—but could not get a break at the big studios. One of the
13
Lucas (left) directs actor Robert Duvall on the set of his 1971 science-fiction drama THX 1138, a
remake of his 1976 student film Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138.
studio’s earliest projects was Lucas’ first theatrical

feature as a writer-director, the 1971 science-fiction “
drama THX 1138, on which Coppola served as
producer. It was a full-length remake of Lucas’ 1967 They’re people
student film, Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB,
about one man’s escape from a monolithic,
who have never
dystopian, technological society. While the student
film was selected as best dramatic film at the
made a movie in
National Student Film Festival in January 1968, the
full-length version flopped at the box office.
their lives—agents
That failure, along with other setbacks, left
American Zoetrope on the verge of bankruptcy.
and lawyers
Around this time, Coppola received an offer with no idea of
to direct a studio film called The Godfather—a gig
he had already turned down once before because dramatic flow.
he thought the book on which it was based was too
trashy. But given the financial distress at American
Zoetrope, Lucas advised his friend and mentor to
” —George Lucas
accept the job to pay off massive debts. It turned
14
Lucas poses between two cars on the set of his film American Graffiti in San Francisco in 1973.
Coppola had urged Lucas to write a script with mass appeal.
out to be sage advice, altering the fates of everyone With a modest budget of $777,000, American
involved—including George Lucas. Graffiti earned $115 million, making it one of the most
Coppola’s newfound clout after the blockbuster profitable film investments a studio ever made. Lucas
success of The Godfather came in handy when had proven himself a hitmaker and achieved his goal
Lucas, who left American Zoetrope in 1971 to form of becoming a millionaire before he turned 30. But
his own company, Lucasfilm Ltd., found himself he was rankled by some of the editing choices that
unable to get any major studio to back his second Universal insisted upon and by what he felt was a
film. If THX left audiences cold, Lucas planned lack of faith from studio executives, who first
to evoke warmth with his next project: a considered sending the movie straight to television.
semi-autobiographical ode to the cars, music and “They’re people who have never made a movie in
teenagers of Northern California in the early their lives—agents and lawyers with no idea of
1960s. The movie was called American Graffiti, and dramatic flow,” Lucas said in 1979. “But they come
Coppola had helped inspire the film when he in, see a movie twice, and in those few hours they
challenged Lucas to write a script that would can tell you to take this out or shorten that.”
have mass appeal. It was only after Lucas got Lucas became more determined than ever to
Coppola to agree to serve as producer that he have full control over his projects—and his destiny—
was able to secure a deal with Universal, which was as a filmmaker. For that to happen, however, Lucas
eager to be associated with the man who made needed more than a rebellious streak. He needed
The Godfather. financial independence.
15
A
Force
With Star Wars, George Lucas set
out to make the kind of
movie he wanted to see. Along the way,
he ended up transforming the
entire industry
By Wook J. Kim
Director George Lucas (right) with coproducer Gary Kurtz on the set of Lucas’ film
American Graffiti in 1973.
16
17
18
G
EORGE LUCAS’ JOURNEY TO STAR WARS In fall 1973, Lucas and his first wife Marcia
began with Flash Gordon, the science- bought a Victorian mansion in San Anselmo, a town
fiction hero whose exploits he enjoyed in Marin County. Lucas turned it into a production
watching on television as a boy. After complex that he and his filmmaker friends could
writing and directing THX 1138, Lucas considered use for screenings, office space and editing their
other film projects to pursue next, and a new projects. Lucas built an office for himself in a
cinematic adaptation of Flash Gordon was high on second-floor tower, with a fireplace and wraparound
his wish list. windows that provided a view of the woods outside
The plan changed after THX 1138 did poorly at as well as Mount Tamalpais. He also constructed a
the box office. Lucas did not want to make another huge, three-sided desk out of old doors. It was in
sci-fi movie as a follow-up, paving the way for the that office, and at that desk, that Lucas went through
nostalgic (and Earth-bound) American Graffiti. Still, the long, difficult process of writing his new science-
he mentioned his “Flash Gordon thing” to the fiction movie, which he titled The Star Wars.
executives at Universal when he was talking to them Writing did not come easy to Lucas, and he freely
about backing Graffiti, and the project became part admitted this on numerous occasions. “I don’t have
of his first-look deal with the studio. a natural talent for writing,” he told Filmmakers
Through Francis Ford Coppola, Lucas met a Newsletter in 1974. “When I sit down, I bleed on the
young movie producer named Gary Kurtz, with page, and it’s just awful. Writing just doesn’t flow
whom he got along so well that they agreed to work in a creative surge the way other things do.”
together. Kurtz ended up as the hands-on producer Lucas struggled to shape the story, producing
of American Graffiti. Kurtz was also a Flash Gordon draft after draft and creating, changing, discarding
fan, and he shared Lucas’ enthusiasm about the and reinstating characters, locations, names and
prospect of bringing the character back to the big plot points. Each draft was significantly different
screen. They inquired about getting the film rights from the one before it—though “lazer swords,”
from King Features, the company that owned ultimately called lightsabers, were there pretty
Flash, but were unable to make a deal. “They were much from the start, as was the concept of dogfights
way too expensive,” Kurtz explained. Plus, King in outer space, with fast-moving spaceships in
Features expected to have significant creative combat like World War II fighter planes.
input. “Their restrictions were so draconian that As he wrote, Lucas turned to science-fiction
we realized right away that it wasn’t really a great novels, folklore, comic books and movies for inspi-
prospect,” Kurtz said. ration. In addition to Flash Gordon, his sources for
Undaunted, Lucas decided to simply create his ideas and themes included Edgar Rice Burroughs’
own version of a Flash-like hero. But first, in the books about John Carter of Mars; the Lensman
wake of the great success of American Graffiti, he novels by Edward Elmer “Doc” Smith, which
would use some of his newfound wealth to upgrade featured elite interstellar law-enforcement agents;
and expand his base of operations. and the New Gods comics by Jack Kirby, in which
“
Writing just doesn’t flow in a creative
surge the way other things do.
” —George Lucas
Olympic swimmer and actor Buster Crabbe plays the title role in the science-fiction film serial
Flash Gordon in 1936.
19
Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa with fellow directors
Francis Ford Coppola and Lucas (from left) in 1980.
the overarching villain, Darkseid, was locked in an

ongoing conflict with his son, the heroic Orion.
Lucas also read Isaac Asimov’s Guide to the Bible
and was particularly influenced by the writings of
scholar Joseph Campbell, whose book The Hero
With a Thousand Faces discussed the theory that
world myths share a fundamental structure,
embodied in the archetypal narrative known as “the
hero’s journey.”
But it was in Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film, The
Hidden Fortress, that Lucas found a basic template
for his story. He zeroed in on that film’s ideas of a
princess in enemy territory, an old general and two
bumbling, bickering characters who served as
comic relief.
L
UCAS’ EARLY IDEAS FOR THE STAR WARS
included a heroic general in his 60s named
Luke Skywalker. Another general, the
villainous Darth Vader, was little more than a
background character. Han Solo was a green-
skinned monster with large gills and no nose.
Princess Leia was 14 years old with two brothers
named Biggs and Windy. One of the main
protagonists was 18-year-old Annikin Starkiller, son
of the part-man, part-machine “Jedi Bendu” Kane
Starkiller. Annikin and Leia would fall in love. In
one draft, there was a key plot element called the
“Kiber Crystal,” an object through which the power
of the Force could be amplified and transmitted.
Eventually, against the advice of Coppola and other
friends who encouraged him to focus squarely on
the human characters, Lucas decided to make
C-3PO and R2-D2 the point-of-view characters for
the audience—a nod to the bickering bumblers in
The Hidden Fortress.
Real-world events like the Vietnam War and
Watergate influenced Lucas’ writing as well. In the
case of Vietnam, his interest carried over from a
period in the early 1970s when Lucas planned to
direct Apocalypse Now, which he had been
developing with writer John Milius based on
Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness. The
project stalled for years, unable to find a home at
one of the studios. Eventually Coppola, who had
20
21
Above: Actor Martin Sheen (left) with Coppola on the set of Apocalypse Now. Opposite page:
Lucas partially based Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars on President Richard Nixon.
been serving as the film’s producer, took control trying to run for a [second] term, which got me to
and forged ahead. With Lucas unavailable due to thinking historically about how do democracies get
his commitment to The Star Wars, Coppola turned into dictatorships? Because the democracies
decided to direct Apocalypse himself. Still, Lucas aren’t overthrown; they’re given away.”
chose to incorporate “some of the same interesting Despite the weighty inspirations, Lucas had no
concepts that I was going to use and convert them intention of making a bleak allegory. He wanted to
into space fantasy so you’d have a large make a fairy tale for viewers of all ages. “You just
technological empire going after a small group of don’t get them anymore,” he told Film Quarterly in
freedom fighters.” 1977. “And that’s the best stuff in the world—
Ruling that empire would be a corrupt, adventures in far-off lands. It’s fun.”
malevolent emperor that Lucas based partially on As the script changed and evolved, Lucas ended
Richard M. Nixon. As he told the Chicago Tribune up with something far too long for one movie. More
in 2005, “That was the period where Nixon was revisions brought it down to a manageable form.
“
Adventures in far-off lands. It’s fun.
” —George Lucas
22
But there was no guarantee he’d be able to shoot it, Graffiti had been nominated for five Academy
even though he was coming off a hit. Awards, including best picture, best director and
Lucas had been contractually obligated to bring best original screenplay—it was more important to
Star Wars to Universal but was reluctant to do so, Lucas that he be able to fully realize his creative
given the contentious relationship that developed vision. Lucas envisioned T-shirts, posters, mugs and
between him and the studio during the making of windup toys, and a host of other items through
American Graffiti. To his relief, Universal passed, which he would sell the movie—and eventually
which allowed him to shop the film around—though movies— in a way that a studio never would. “I was
he was also hesitant about going to Warner Bros., very careful to say, ‘I don’t want more money,’” he
since he still resented the edits that the studio had said in the 2004 documentary Empire of Dreams:
made to THX 1138. The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy. “But I do want
At 20th Century Fox, Lucas found an ally in the the rights to make these sequels.”
new vice president for creative affairs, Alan Ladd After lengthy negotiations, during which Fox
Jr. Ladd believed in Lucas and wanted to make his expressed deep concerns about just how much this
next film. Lucas wanted control over that film, along kid’s space fantasy was going to cost, the studio
with the rights to its merchandise and any sequels— offered Lucas a contract that agreed to his terms.
which he felt confident he could produce given all By securing those rights, Lucas would end up
he had come up with to generate a script. He also earning billions of dollars. As former Fox produc-
wanted to ensure that the movie would be produced tion executive Gareth Wigan said in Empire of
by Lucasfilm, so that he would be fully in charge of Dreams, “George was enormously far-sighted, and
how the budgeted money was used. the studio wasn’t, because they didn’t know the
Instead of demanding a higher directing and world was changing. George did know the world
writing fee to reflect his new status—American was changing—I mean, he changed it.”
23
Creating
Magic To bring his imagination to life,
George Lucas needed to invent new tools
for filmmaking
By Dante A. Ciampaglia
George Lucas and his crew on the set of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. Lucas founded
special-effects shop Industrial Light and Magic to create the equipment to bring the film to life.
24
25
G
EORGE LUCAS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT
memo with 20th Century Fox to
write and direct The Star Wars in
August 1973. But the actual contract
from the studio was not immediately forthcoming—
nor would it be for quite some time, as Fox remained
deeply concerned about how much the movie would
cost to make. Nevertheless, for the next three years,
Lucas labored over the script, never satisfied with
his work.
By late 1975, Lucas felt the script was in good
enough shape that he was anxious to start
production. Casting had begun the previous August.
At the same time that Lucas was looking to fill
the key roles in his film, his friend, director Brian
De Palma, was assembling the cast for his screen
adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie. Since both
films required young actors, Lucas and
De Palma conducted the auditions together. Some
of the actors who tried out for Lucas, most notably
John Travolta, Amy Irving and William Katt, ended
up in De Palma’s film. Other hopefuls included Kurt
Russell, Robby Benson, Cindy Williams and Charles
Martin Smith—the latter two having starred in
American Graffiti. Lucas was reluctant to hire
anyone he had worked with before, so Williams and
Smith were quickly ruled out. But casting director
Fred Roos felt that Harrison Ford, who had also
played a small but memorable part in American
Graffiti and was now working primarily as a
carpenter, was a strong contender for Han Solo,
especially since the character was no longer a green-
skinned creature. Roos convinced Lucas to at least
have Ford come in and read Solo’s lines against the
actors who auditioned for other parts.
As Lucas watched Ford settle into the role of
Solo, and even begin to shape the character through
audition after audition, the director’s reluctance to
hire actors from his previous film began to ebb.
“But I had to go through the whole process,” Lucas
said. “I wasn’t going to take anyone just because I
knew them or I knew they could act well. I really
wanted to see all the diverse possibilities and come
at it fresh.”
Ford would eventually read opposite two other
actors suggested by Roos—Mark Hamill for Luke
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford (from

left) in Denver for the Star Wars press tour in 1977.
26
27
L
and Carrie Fisher for Leia. The chemistry between UCAS HAD SPECIFICALLY WANTED
the three was so strong that Lucas soon considered unknowns for the key roles, so that the
them the top contenders, opposite another trio: audience would focus on the characters
Christopher Walken as Solo, Will Seltzer as Luke and not the actors. But even his biggest supporter
and Terri Nunn as Leia. (Nunn would go on to at Fox, Alan Ladd Jr., was concerned about the lack
become the lead singer of the 1980s new-wave pop of “name actors” in the cast. Ladd was somewhat
group Berlin and is perhaps best known for the relieved when Lucas managed to sign Alec Guinness
1986 hit “Take My Breath Away” from the movie to play Ben Kenobi. “Guinness didn’t sell tickets on
Top Gun.) In January 1976, Lucas finally decided on his own, but it was nice that he was in the picture,”
his three leads: Ford, Hamill and Fisher. Ladd said. (Guinness actually had misgivings about
Hamill, a lifelong fan of science fiction, fantasy appearing in a science-fiction movie and referred
and comic books, was particularly excited to be a to Lucas’ script in a letter to a friend as “fairy-tale
part of the movie. “The script itself, even without rubbish,” but added that it “could be interesting.”)
John Williams’ fantastic score and all the brilliant Lucas also hired Peter Cushing, perhaps best known
special effects and the art direction and all that— for his roles in numerous classic horror movies, to
just the core story as it’s written down is thrilling,” play Grand Moff Tarkin, the Imperial leader in
Hamill said in a 2017 interview. “I remember charge of the Empire’s Death Star battle station.
thinking specifically, This really smacks of Wizard Meanwhile, even though Lucas still had no
of Oz, with a gender switch. Instead of a young girl studio contract, he and producer Gary Kurtz moved
from a farm in the Midwest, here you have this boy forward on the production end, using their profits
or young man . . . and he’s swept away on this from American Graffiti to cover costs. Between the
incredible adventure where he meets this fantastic two of them, Lucas and Kurtz would ultimately
array of characters.” spend nearly $1 million of their own money. One of
28
their first steps was to rent soundstages at Elstree rights to Flash Gordon, Lucas created what he
Studios in England for a shoot that would begin in needed on his own—in this case, a special-effects
the first half of 1976. shop he dubbed Industrial Light and Magic (ILM),
Lucas also had to take the initiative when it came as a subsidiary of Lucasfilm Ltd. Funded by Lucas
to special effects, which would arguably be the most himself and led by young special-effects wizard
crucial element of the movie. Creating convincing John Dykstra, the team at ILM would be responsible
visuals for the concepts he had in mind, starting for creating not just the visuals, but also the cameras
with the dynamic, fast-paced dogfights in outer and other equipment required to bring the movie
space, would require aggressively innovative and to fruition.
pioneering techniques, the likes of which were well The contract between Lucas and Fox to make
beyond the capabilities of any major studio at the Star Wars—Lucas dropped “The” from the title
time. So, just as he did when he couldn’t get the along the way—was finally signed in February 1976,
“
I remember thinking specifically,
This really smacks of Wizard of Oz.
” —Mark Hamill
Opposite page: Alec Guinness as Ben Kenobi on the set of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. Above: Lucas directs
Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin), Carrie Fisher (Leia) and David Prowse (Darth Vader) (from left).
29
Right: Special-effects artist John Dykstra led the team
at ILM. Below: Makeup and creature-effects master
Stuart Freeborn at work on Chewbacca.
just a few weeks before filming began. Script

revisions continued up to, and even past, the last
minute. Lucas brought in his friends Willard Huyck
and Gloria Katz, with whom he had cowritten
American Graffiti, to do an uncredited polish,
focusing primarily on punching up the characters’
lines. Even with their help, Lucas would find
himself on the receiving end of criticism about the
film’s dialogue, including some good-natured
ribbing from members of his cast. During one scene
in which Han Solo was required to recite an exten-
sive bit of technobabble, Ford reportedly told
Lucas, “George, you can type this s**t, but you sure
can’t say it!” Guinness, in a letter to a friend, wrote
that he considered his dialogue to be “rubbish” and
that “none of it makes my character clear or even
bearable.” Filming was already underway when
Luke’s last name was changed—from Starkiller to
the less violent-sounding Skywalker.
Production did not go smoothly, compounded
by the fact that Lucas had never directed a film on
such a large scale with so many complex sets,
costumes, creature makeups and visual effects. Nor
had he ever made a movie outside of the U.S. The
British crew working under him had little regard
for either the project or the director. “[They]
thought we were all out of our minds,” Ford said in
2002’s George Lucas: Creating an Empire. “They just
thought that it was ludicrous and stupid.”
Furthermore, Guinness was annoyed by Lucas’
decision to kill off Kenobi after he realized that the
30
31
Anthony Daniels (C-3P0), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Alec Guinness (Ben Kenobi)
(from left) prepare to shoot a scene on location in Tunisia.
character had nothing meaningful to do in the film’s To add to Lucas’ frustrations, overseeing a crew
last act. “It wasn’t dramatic to have him standing of more than 900 people meant he had to adjust his
around, and I wanted his character to have an management style. Instead of issuing orders to crew
impact,” Lucas explained. The crisis was averted members directly, “I would tell a department head,
when Lucas convinced Guinness that having Darth and he would tell another assistant department
Vader kill Ben on the Death Star, and Kenobi then head, he’d tell some guy, and by the time it came
returning as a spirit guide for Luke, was the best down the line, [what I wanted] was not there,” he
thing to do for the character. Besides, Lucas was explained to Rolling Stone in 1977. Lucas’ reaction
paying Guinness very well—and even gave the actor was to try even harder to be in complete control, to
two profit points on the film. do everything himself. “It almost killed me,” he told
writer Alan Arnold in 1979. “It was too difficult, and
P
ROBLEMS SEEMED TO CROP UP ALL THE I was miserable because I agonized over things not
time. Poor weather conditions plagued turning out my way.”
the production when it was on location That misery extended to what had always been
in Tunisia, where Lucas filmed the scenes taking Lucas’ favorite part of the filmmaking process—
place on the desert planet Tatooine. The remote- the editing. He clashed with the film’s original
controlled R2-D2 robots constantly failed. The editor, John Jympson, whom he felt demonstrated
special-effects team delivered work that was either no real grasp of the material. Jympson had
too late or unusable. The movie fell behind schedule. completed about an hour’s worth of footage before
32
“
It almost killed
me. It was too
difficult, and I was
miserable.
” —George Lucas
His mood did not improve after he had a

completed rough cut in hand. Fox executives
Ladd and Gareth Wigan were firmly in Lucas’
corner—reportedly, upon his first viewing of the
rough cut, Wigan openly wept tears of joy. But
Lucas turned to his close circle of filmmaker friends
for feedback he could trust. This included De Palma
and Steven Spielberg, among others. De Palma
agreed to help Lucas rewrite the opening crawl,
which had been deemed way too long. Spielberg
assured Lucas that the movie would be a hit. Lucas
was so sure that Spielberg’s next film, Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, would outperform
Star Wars at the box office that he offered a friendly
Star Wars fans line up outside the movie theater in
bet. According to Spielberg, “[George] said, ‘All
Birmingham, England, in 1978.
right, I’ll tell you what. I’ll trade some points with
you. . . . I’ll give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give
Lucas decided that he had no choice but to fire me 2.5% of Close Encounters.’ So I said, ‘Sure, I’ll
him. Lucas then turned to his wife Marcia, a gamble with that. Great.’”
respected film editor who had worked on American Star Wars opened in just 32 theaters on May 25,
Graffiti and several films directed by Martin 1977—but the love and excitement from audiences
Scorsese (including Taxi Driver), for help. She led to instant word-of-mouth endorsements. By
focused primarily on editing the climactic assault that weekend, the number of theaters had increased
on the Death Star. To pull the rest of the film to 43, with lines around the block and people
together, Lucas brought in Richard Chew, whom already taking in multiple viewings. By August, it
he had wanted to hire all along, and Paul Hirsch. was playing in more than 1,000 theaters, and at
(For their work on Star Wars, the trio would go on least 40 theaters across the country would continue
to win the Academy Award for best editing.) to show it continuously for a year or more. Star Wars
Principal photography was completed on would earn $307,263,857 during its initial 18-month
July 16, 1976, 20 days behind schedule. Without run and unseat Spielberg’s Jaws as the all-time box-
special effects, the film was underwhelming, and office champion at the time.
Lucas feared it might never come together in the As for the Spielberg-Lucas bet, Close Encounters
way he envisioned. The stress finally got to him. came in second place among the highest-grossing
Lucas started experiencing chest pains and ended movies of 1977. Spielberg’s 2.5% stake in Star Wars
up in the hospital with a diagnosis of hypertension earned him an estimated $40 million over the
and exhaustion. years—and counting.
33
-
TIME
Capsule A look back at TIME’s feature
on Star Wars: A New Hope,
from May 1977
By Richard Corliss for TIME
Star Wars earned more than $307.2 million in ticket sales during its initial 18-month run,
unseating Steven Spielberg’s Jaws as the all-time box-office champion at the time.
34
35
T
HE TIME IS LONG AGO AND FAR, FAR But wait! Princess Leia does not have the plans.
away. The beautiful Princess Leia, a She has entrusted them to a little robot, Artoo
leader of the rebellion against the evil Detoo, in the hope that they will reach a former
Galactic Empire, has just been captured general of the rebellion on the planet Tatooine.
by an imperial starship. She is now aboard the Artoo Detoo and his delicate robot friend Threepio
Empire’s mobile command station, the impregnable have landed on Tatooine. As luck would have it,
Death Star, which is able to destroy whole planets they have been picked up by Luke Skywalker, a
with a single energy burst, and at this very moment handsome young farmer. Though Luke does not
she is being interrogated by Darth Vader, Dark Lord know it, his father also fought the Empire before
of the Sith, and the Grand Moff Tarkin—probably he was foully murdered by Darth Vader. Luke,
the nastiest pair of villains in the thousand worlds. Artoo Detoo and the ungainly Threepio have been
What, they want to know, has she done with the attacked by Tatooine’s native nasties, and they have
stolen secret plans of the Death Star? If those only just been saved by an old hermit.
computerized blueprints reach her Rebel friends, My gosh! No hermit he, but that former Rebel
the corrupt Empire might fall—and freedom be general Obi-Wan Kenobi, for whom they had been
restored to the galaxy. looking. Together, the four of them are even now
36
Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) gives R2-D2 the stolen

plans to the Death Star.
“
It’s the flotsam and
jetsam from the
period when I was
12 years old.
” —George Lucas
history of the movies, wrapped in a riveting tale of

suspense and adventure, ornamented with some of
the most ingenious special effects ever contrived
for film. It has no message, no sex and only the
merest dollop of blood shed here and there. It’s
aimed at kids—the kid in everybody.
“It’s the flotsam and jetsam from the period
when I was 12 years old,” says director George
Lucas, 33. “All the books and films and comics that
I liked when I was a child. The plot is simple —good
against evil—and the film is designed to be all the
fun things and fantasy things I remember. The word
for this movie is ‘fun.’ ” For once, a director is right
about his own work. Star Wars has brought fun back
to the movies and glowingly demonstrated they still
can make ’em like they used to.
setting out to deliver the secret plans to Rebel The film opens in 50 theaters across the country,
headquarters, light-years and parsecs away. But but advance screenings and word of mouth have
will they be in time to save the lovely Leia? And, already given it an outsize reputation among film
anyway, what can a punk kid, a has-been general buffs and science-fiction addicts—two groups
and a comedy team of robots do against the dark, united usually only by their enthusiasm. The first
illimitable powers of the Galactic Empire? week in April, indeed, 6,000 color transparencies
A universe of plenty—as audiences can discover from the film were stolen from the production
beginning this week in Star Wars, a grand and offices; they are now selling for more than $5 each
glorious film that may well be the smash hit of 1977, to sci-fi freaks. Some of the spaceship models used
and certainly is the best movie of the year so far. for special effects were later stolen from a
Star Wars is a combination of Flash Gordon, The workshop, and they too are being advertised on
Wizard of Oz, the Errol Flynn swashbucklers of the the open market. “Star Wars is the costume epic
’30s and ’40s and almost every Western ever of the future,” says Ben Bova, editor of Analog, one
screened—not to mention the Hardy Boys, Sir of the leading science-fiction magazines. “It’s a
Gawain and the Green Knight and The Faerie Queene. galactic Gone With the Wind. It’s perfect summer
The result is a remarkable confection: a subliminal escapist fare.”
37
At a special preview in San Francisco early this Graffiti. Though the latter became the 11th highest
month, kids screamed in delight at the film’s grosser of all time, Universal, the studio that
fantastic effects. At the end, while the lengthy financed it, believed that Lucas had gone, well, too
credits rolled, the entire audience applauded for far-out when he handed in a 12-page outline for Star
two or three minutes. “It was a supermarket Wars in 1973. “I’ve always been an outsider to the
audience, ordinary people,” says Lucas, who was Hollywood types,” he explains. “They think I do
there and who still wonders at the reaction. “After weirdo films.” Even close friends and film-school
something like that, you sit there and say, ‘Gee, colleagues thought the idea for Star Wars a little
that’s what it’s all about.’ ” strange—albeit for different reasons. They felt that
Lucas should follow American Graffiti with a deep
WEIRD IDEA. THE APPLAUSE WAS SWEETER STILL picture, one that had meaning, significance and
because so many people had expressed doubts for recondite symbolism.
so long. Slight and bashful, Lucas hardly fits the Of course, everybody was right: it was a weird
image of the Hollywood director, and he had made idea to make a movie whose only purpose was to
only two pictures before: THX 1138 and American give pleasure. Says Lucas: “It’s not a film about the
“
They think I do weirdo films.
” —George Lucas
38
Darth Vader (David Prowse) engages in a lightsaber duel against Obi-Wan Kenobi,
Vader’s former Jedi master.
future. Star Wars is a fantasy, much closer to the Strange radio signals seemed to emanate from the
Brothers Grimm than it is to 2001. My main reason Tunisian sand, and the remote-controlled Artoos
for making it was to give young people an honest, ran wild, as if their oil had come from Vat 69. Says
wholesome fantasy life, the kind my generation had. Barry: “I was incredibly grateful each time an Artoo
We had Westerns, pirate movies, all kinds of great actually worked right.” Even Artoo Detoo, with
things. Now they have The Six Million Dollar Man Baker inside, seemed out of control. Baker could
and Kojak. Where are the romance, the adventure scarcely see where he was going through Artoo’s
and the fun that used to be in practically every headlights, and he bumped into the unwieldy
movie made?” Threepio, sending him tumbling. Daniels could not
Eventually, 20th Century Fox, which had made see much better through Threepio’s eyes, covered
piles of money with another peculiar but good with real gold to prevent corrosion, but thereafter
picture, Planet of the Apes, bought the idea, and he kept a wide distance between himself and the
Lucas set to work at the typewriter. Four versions Artoos—whatever was inside them.
and two years later, he was satisfied with his story. Despite their problems, the two manned robots
Now the real—or at least, the visible—work give standout performances as the Laurel and Hardy
began. At first, Lucas thought of making Tatooine, of the cybernetic world. With his English accent
where much of the action takes place, a jungle and his fussy manner, Threepio, the straight man
planet, and producer Gary Kurtz went to the of the pair, is a perfect picture of a butler who
Philippines to scout locations. But the bare thought would never make it upstairs or downstairs. “We’re
of spending months shooting in the jungle made doomed! We’re doomed!” he bleats in typical panic.
Lucas itchy, and presto, with the touch of an eraser, “This time we’ll be melted down for sure!”
Tatooine became desert. Kurtz was off searching Artoo Detoo, on the other hand, is a manly little
again, this time to Tunisia, which became Tatooine. machine. He responds to Threepio’s complaints
Most of the equipment, and half the actors, came with a variety of impatient beeps and whistles and
from Britain. For Artoo Detoo, the squat little hero when busy, chirps and burbles like a mobile
robot, production designer John Barry found “the Mr. Coffee machine. When he gets zapped by Darth
smallest man in England,” 3-ft. 8-in. Kenny Baker. Vader, it is almost as traumatic for kids as that awful
A machine that looks like a tank-type vacuum was moment in Bambi when the little fawn’s mother is
built around him, with lights that he could switch slain by hunters. Fortunately for Artoo Detoo,
on and off and legs into which he could fit his own. however, not to mention the youngsters, there are
Other Artoo models were built —some scenes have replacement parts back in the shop.
three or four moving all at once—for radio control.
Artoo Detoo’s faithful robot friend, Threepio, is ALONG WITH HIS ROBOTS, LUCAS HAS ASSEMBLED
supposed to look vaguely human, somewhat like a menagerie of monsters and grotesques usually
the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. A plaster cast was seen only in the DTs. For one scene, set in a brawling
made of British actor Anthony Daniels, who was to spaceport bar, the casting director went to a London
be the man inside. From that cast, Barry constructed firm called Uglies Ltd. There he found actors to
a golden figure of plastic, rubber, fiber glass, steel portray thugs assembled from all parts of the galaxy.
and aluminum. Threepio fairly glistened and shone Then makeup man Stuart Freeborn went to work,
when he was unveiled on the Tunisian set—but that making the uglies uglier or turning them into night-
was part of the trouble. It was so hot inside the robot mares of genetic engineering who resemble giant
body that Daniels nearly expired, and the machine’s flies, cobras or things that have floated up from
plastic and rubber joints were in danger of melting. 20,000 leagues under the sea.
Not all the aliens are bad, however. One who is
THE FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING, ALL THE ROBOTS not is Chewbacca (he doesn’t), the 8-ft.-tall wookiee.
performed perfectly. It never happened again. A lithe and elegant simian, Chewie is copilot of the
39
Millennium Falcon, the souped-up space freighter All science-fiction movies these days are
that takes the intrepid Rebels to their battle with measured against Stanley Kubrick’s monumental
the dread Death Star. Like Artoo Detoo, Chewie is 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). But even by that
voluble without actually being able to talk. In a standard, Star Wars is tops. To work out the
voice that is somewhere between a hoarse lion’s photographic special effects, Lucas hired John
roar and the braying of an outraged donkey, he Dykstra, an expert in the field. For his space scenes,
bullies little Artoo or retreats, in moments of danger, Kubrick had used what is called composite opticals:
to a position of forthright cowardice. Inside the he would put one part of a scene—a spaceship, say
fur is Peter Mayhew, a porter at London’s Mayday —on film and black out the background. Then he
Hospital. More than 7 ft. tall to begin with, Mayhew would cover over the spaceship, roll the film through
is made to look even taller by thick boots and a top- the camera again and put in another part of the
heavy mask. scene, such as the moon behind the spaceship. And
The real wonder of Star Wars, however, is not the so on. This process of multiple exposure was not
robots or the monsters, good as they are. It is rather only enormously expensive and time-consuming,
the wizardry special effects, many of them never but also limited in what it could achieve.
attempted or never possible before. Artoo Detoo, Lucas and Dykstra had the advantage over 2001
for instance, routinely delivers his message from of another decade of computer technology. They
Princess Leia by beaming a foot-high holographic were able to link the camera to a sophisticated
projection of her, moving and talking in 3D, right calculator, which recorded and memorized every
into the room. Later, in one of the movie’s funniest shot. By consulting it they could add new elements
scenes, Artoo and the wookiee play a variant of to their scenes in far less time than it took Kubrick.
chess with holographic figures. Instead of a bishop The result is a breathtaking series of space shots
capturing a knight, a little dinosaur jumps a small, unlike anything seen before in a science-fiction film.
ectoplasmic BEM (as sci-fi fans call bug-eyed Says Dykstra: “We have spaceships crossing over
monsters) and proceeds to devour him. (Losing planets all the time, and Kubrick never did. His
makes wookiees so dyspeptic that Artoo is sagely ships are almost invariably linear and can be seen
counseled to let Chewbacca win.) only from one angle. Ours are seen in all conditions
and from all angles.” Whereas Kubrick had only
about 35 different effects, Lucas has 363. His
accomplishment is even more impressive given his
smaller budget. 2001 cost $10 million in less inflated
’60s dollars; Star Wars cost only $9.5 million in the
puny currency of the ’70s.
Not all the effects were computer-inspired or
computer-controlled. For shots using miniatures,
Lucas’ crew cannibalized more than 300 model kits
and collected parts from old tanks and World War
II planes. When recasting their finds in plastic, they
roughed them up as well. The result is a refreshingly
lived-in, even beat-up, space world.
For the climactic battle sequence, which includes
dogfights in space and missile runs on the Death
Star, Lucas gathered all the old war movies he could
find and spliced together their aerial-combat
footage. “We did all that to get an idea of how to
set up this scene,” he explains. “It was all very
complicated, with the most complicated sound
problems, mixing and special effects.” The dashing
40
Opposite page: Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker flee from Stormtroopers on the Death Star.
Above: Han Solo and Chewbacca fight back against an enemy attack.
10-minute sequence took eight weeks to edit were times when I issued a threat to tie George up
(normally 105 minutes of a Lucas film can be edited and make him repeat his own dialogue,” adds
in that time). Harrison Ford, 35, who plays Han Solo, the cynical
With all the wonderful illusions and tricks, the mercenary captain of the Millennium Falcon. “I
actors—the live actors, that is —sometimes felt like told him: ‘You can’t say that stuff. You can only type
robots themselves. “They don’t exactly give you a it.’ But I was wrong. It worked.” The only actor
course in acting in a science-fiction movie,” says whom Lucas allowed to change anything was Alec
Carrie Fisher, 20, who plays Princess Leia. “At one Guinness, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi. Originally,
point I’m supposed to react to seeing my planet old Obi-Wan was supposed to start off crazy and
blow up. You know, there go my parents, my record then turn into the wise old wizard of Good. Guinness
collection, everything. What do I see? A hand felt that that transition was not right for his method
waving to tell me where to look.” Adds Mark Hamill, of acting or for the character, and Lucas relented.
25, who plays Luke Skywalker: “Acting in this Now Obi-Wan is wise from beginning to end.
movie, I felt like a raisin in a gigantic fruit salad. Most of the time, Lucas would not direct the
And I didn’t even know who the coconuts or actors in the sense of telling them what to do, and
cantaloupes were.” at first this bothered some of them. “George directs
All nearly gagged trying to say some of Lucas’ like John Ford,” says Francis Ford Coppola, who
lines. “‘I thought I recognized your foul stench has been both mentor and best friend to Lucas. “He
when I was brought aboard, Governor Tarkin,’ is doesn’t really work a lot with his actors or tell them
not everyday conversation,” says Fisher. “There a lot. But he constructs his scenes so specifically, or
41
The Rebel Alliance, flying a fleet of X-wing starfighters, prepares to launch an attack on the Empire’s mobile
command station, the Death Star, in Star Wars: A New Hope.
narrowly—like a railroad track—that everything combine images and tell stories.” The director, he
comes out more or less the way he sees it.” Coppola goes on, is like a general sitting in the war room and
considers Lucas “a pure filmmaker. He really only sending other men to battle. He calls the filmmaker
wants to put on film the things he loves. He has few a lieutenant who actually leads his patrol across
pretensions about making ‘great films’ or ‘great art,’ enemy lines.
and consequently he comes closer than most. I For all of his basset hound gloom, Lucas is an
think, though, that it’s both sad and unnecessary innocent romantic. That innocence and that feeling
that he suffers so much while he’s making movies.” for romance are what make Star Wars so fresh, so
Suffering seems to be part of Lucas’ nature. It much fun and, finally, so fantastic. Lucas believed
was not fun for him to put the fun into Star Wars. everything he put on film, and somewhere under
He made his first two movies on small budgets and the celluloid, he is Luke Skywalker—out to slay the
with small casts. Star Wars employed 900 people dragon, rescue the princess and find the Holy Grail.
and forced him to become what he loathes: a big- Black is black, white is white, and good will conquer
time Hollywood director. “I found the experience evil, at least in his screening room.
excruciatingly painful,” he says, “and I’ve discovered It is a simple moralism that many real science-
what I knew all along: I am not a film director. I’m fiction fans may not buy, and in sci-fi terms Star
a filmmaker. A film director is somebody who Wars is strictly softcore. Lucas, a fan himself, has
directs people—large operations. I like to sit down evoked images from some of the best-known writers
behind a camera and shoot pretty pictures and then in the field. Tatooine, for example, is much like the
cut them together and watch the magic come as I arid planet Arrakis in Frank Herbert’s famed Dune
42
Han Solo, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker enter the throne room for a medal ceremony at
the end of A New Hope.
trilogy; that resemblance carries even to the French movie The Wages of Fear) and devilish terror
skeleton of one of Herbert’s giant sand snakes in the in Exorcist II: The Heretic.
background of a Tatooine scene. The barroom Despite the talent and the money arrayed against
sequence, with its remarkable array of extraterrestrial it, Star Wars has one clear advantage: It is simple,
freaks, is reminiscent of scenes written by Robert elemental and, therefore, unique. It has a happy
Heinlein and Samuel Delaney. But as Lucas and ending, a rarity these days. Princess Leia is saved,
producer Kurtz quickly point out, Star Wars is not the Death Star is vaporized and Luke Skywalker,
science fiction but space fantasy. Han Solo, Artoo Detoo and Threepio receive the
gratitude of freedom lovers everywhere. For most
STAR WARS WILL FIND ITSELF COMPETING WITH audiences, the only sadness in the climax is that the
several other major movies for the attention of film ends and cannot go on and on. It is surely one
audiences this summer, almost all of them with of the swiftest two hours on celluloid.
much bigger budgets. In the next couple of months, But wait! Darth Vader has escaped, cloaked in
two blockbuster war movies, MacArthur and evil and eager for revenge, and the Galactic Empire
A Bridge Too Far (which cost almost three times still holds in chains 1,000 solar systems. What hope
as much as Lucas’ film), will open with their own have our gallant adventurers against forces so vast
galaxies of stars—old-fashioned Hollywood stars. and so dark? Another richly imagined universe of
In addition, there will be underwater adventure hope, obviously, and Lucas is already planning to
in The Deep, straight suspense in The Sorcerer bring them back in the sequel to Star Wars. This
(William Friedkin’s remake of that wonderful old cannot be The End but is To Be Continued. …
43
Chapter 2
BUILDING
A
FRANCHISE What started as a tribute to
Flash Gordon quickly grew into a billion-dollar
multimedia behemoth
The
Saga
Continues… The success of Star Wars gave
George Lucas the independence to
produce more movies in the series that
followed his vision—but they didn’t
always live up to fan expectations
By Glenn Greenberg
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker and Anthony Daniels (clockwise
from top left) return for the third Star Wars film, 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
46
47
E
VEN BEFORE STAR WARS WAS RELEASED be a plot template for the second movie, had
in May 1977 and became a box-office Lucas’ predictions about the first one’s box-office
sensation, George Lucas was planning performance been correct.
a sequel. Believing that the first film But once Star Wars became a phenomenal
would be a modest success at best, he envisioned success, Lucas knew he could work on a much
a low-budget follow-up, with fewer locations, sets bigger follow-up and started developing the story
and characters. and early drafts for what would become 1980’s
Both Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher were The Empire Strikes Back. Given the unpleasant
signed for three films, so Luke Skywalker and experience he had had writing and directing the
Princess Leia would be back. But Harrison Ford first movie, Lucas decided instead to turn those
had not committed to any sequels, so Han Solo’s duties over to other people, while he would serve
return was not a certainty. With these parameters, as executive producer and be the final word on all
and providing several ideas that didn’t make it into matters. He hired Leigh Brackett to write the script
the first movie, Lucas recruited author Alan Dean based on his drafts, but shortly after submitting
Foster to write a sequel novel, Splinter of the Mind’s her first pass, Brackett died of cancer. Lucas then
Eye. Published in February 1978, it featured Luke turned to Lawrence Kasdan, whom he had just
and Leia, accompanied by C-3PO and R2-D2, hired to write the screenplay for Raiders of the Lost
bound to a jungle world in search of the Kaiburr Ark. In the meantime, he tapped Irvin Kershner
crystal, an object that amplified the power of the to direct.
Force. The search ends in an ancient temple, where Lucas funded The Empire Strikes Back out of
the heroes are confronted by a particularly his own pocket, using the money he had made from
malevolent Darth Vader. The novel was meant to Star Wars. If the film had flopped, he likely would
48
Above: Jabba the Hutt (left) and Bib Fortuna in the third installment of Star Wars, Return of the
Jedi. Opposite page: Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back.
have been wiped out financially. Instead, it was a “I could see where things were headed,” Kurtz
major hit—the top-grossing movie of 1980, earning told the Los Angeles Times in 2010. “The toy
an estimated $209 million in its initial release. business began to drive the [Lucasfilm] empire. It’s
Empire became iconic on its own merits, which a shame. They make three times as much on toys as
included a more mature and sophisticated approach they do on films. It’s natural to make decisions that
to the material, even more elaborate special effects protect the toy business, but that’s not the best
and a shocking plot twist (you know the one). The thing for making quality films. ... The first film and
film’s success ensured that Lucas would be able to Empire were about story and character but I could
complete his planned trilogy with 1983’s Return of see that George’s priorities were changing.”
the Jedi. But it was with that third movie that there Harrison Ford confirmed Kurtz’s assessment.
seemed to be a shift in Lucas’ focus as a storyteller, Ford had been vocal since 1983 about having
one that colleagues and fans alike noticed. lobbied for Han Solo to die in Return, and in a 2010
The emphasis in Return of the Jedi on cute, kid- interview with ABC News, he commented that he
friendly creatures that were ideal for being turned couldn’t convince Lucas to go there because “George
into toys—like the aliens in Jabba the Hutt’s palace didn’t think there was any future in dead Han toys.”
and the Ewoks—marked a departure from the Kurtz also attributed the shift to Lucas’ other
previous movies. It was one reason that Gary burgeoning movie franchise. In a 2002 interview
Kurtz, who had produced both A New Hope and with IGN Film Force, Kurtz explained, “Raiders of
Empire, gave for parting company with Lucas as the Lost Ark had come out between [Empire and
development on Return of the Jedi got underway. Return]. George and I had many, many discussions
49
50
Left: Ewoks capture Luke and Han in Return of the

Jedi. Right: Darth Maul is a major antagonist in the
1999 Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace.
about that, but it boiled down to the fact that he

became convinced that all the audience was
interested in was the roller-coaster ride.”
Nevertheless, Return of the Jedi was another hit,
becoming the top-grossing film of 1983 and earning
an estimated $252 million in its initial release. But
it was not universally beloved by fans—indeed, it
inspired a widely circulated 1997 Sci-Fi Universe
magazine article, “50 Reasons Why Return of the
Jedi Sucks,” which listed the most commonly voiced
complaints about the movie. (Included on the list:
Ewoks, Muppets, a plot recycled from the first movie
and weak dialogue.)
Lucas came in for a new round of widespread
criticism from fans when he rereleased the three
movies in 1997 as “Special Editions,” describing
them as the versions that fully represented his
vision. They featured updated special effects, some
added scenes and altered footage—most infamously
the moment in Star Wars where Han Solo shoots
the would-be assassin Greedo in the cantina. In the
revised version, Greedo shoots first and misses—at
close range—before Solo fires back and kills the something that felt like an important part of their
green-skinned creature. Lucas claimed the scene childhood. In a 2004 interview with the Associated
was always meant to play out that way, but he wasn’t Press, Lucas addressed the controversy, saying,
able to pull it off in the original editing. “What I “This is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry
tried to do was clean up the confusion,” he told you saw half a completed film and fell in love with
the Hollywood Reporter in 2012. “But obviously it it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be.”
upset people because they wanted Solo to be a
F
cold-blooded killer, but he actually isn’t.” AN ENTHUSIASM FOR STAR WARS REMAINED
The Special Editions, which Lucas would high, but faith in its creator wavered when
continue to revise over the years, left many fans who Lucas, after a 16-year hiatus, resumed the
grew up watching the original versions unhappy. series with his long-awaited prequel trilogy: The
The changes, whether big or small, altered Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002)
and Revenge of the Sith (2005). Each was a bona fide
blockbuster—collectively, they earned more than
“ $1 billion at the box office—but audiences and
What I tried to critics did not hesitate to express what displeased
them. They accused Lucas of having lost sight of
do was clean up the what made people fall in love with the series in
the first place, of emphasizing special effects over
confusion. story and characters. They griped that the prequels
were rife with terrible dialogue, juvenile humor and
” —George Lucas
a lack of warmth and humanity. With the rise of
social media, those criticisms spread far and wide
51
Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones is set 10 years after the events of
The Phantom Menace. The film did well at the box office but received much criticism.
and took hold in the public consciousness in a Lucas brushed off the criticisms, at least publicly.
way that was not possible when the original movies In 2004, he told the Associated Press that he did
were made. not pay much attention to fan feedback. “The thing
Longtime fans particularly took issue with about science-fiction fans and Star Wars fans is
Lucas adding midi-chlorians as a pseudoscientific they’re very independent-thinking people,” he said.
explanation for the Force, which had previously “They all have very strong ideas about what should
been portrayed as a more spiritual, metaphysical happen, and they think it should be their way.
element. They ridiculed Jake Lloyd’s performance Which is fine, except I’m making the movies, so I
as 9-year-old Anakin Skywalker and Hayden should have it my way.”
Christensen’s as the older version of the character. After the release of Revenge of the Sith, Lucas said
Some of the harshest criticisms were aimed at Jar repeatedly that the Star Wars saga—at least the core
Jar Binks, the CGI creature played by Ahmed Best cinematic series—was finished. “The movies were
that was meant to serve as comic relief. Lucas had the story of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker,”
initially expressed high hopes for Jar Jar, but after he told the Los Angeles Times in 2008. “When Luke
the negative response to the character in The saves the galaxy and redeems his father, that’s where
Phantom Menace—some viewers finding Jar Jar not the story ends.” But in a January 2012 interview
only unfunny, but also a racist caricature—Lucas with the New York Times Magazine, he was more
reduced his screen time in Attack of the Clones and willing to express how much the criticism had stung
gave him only a brief cameo in Revenge of the Sith. and affected his decision to end the series. “Why
52
Jedi Master Yoda wields his lightsaber as he prepares to fight the Sith Lord Darth Sidious
(Palpatine), in Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith (2005).
would I make any more [Star Wars movies],” he said, After reading Lucas’ treatments, however,
“when everybody yells at you all the time and says Disney decided to go in another direction—a move
what a terrible person you are?” that left Lucas feeling betrayed, according to former
Unbeknownst to most, Lucas was indeed Disney CEO Bob Iger in his memoir, The Ride of a
planning a sequel trilogy at around this time, and Lifetime. “We made clear in the purchase agreement
had even secured commitments from Hamill, Fisher that we would not be contractually obligated to
and Ford to return and help usher in a new adhere to [Lucas’] plot lines,” Iger wrote. “But he
generation of characters. As those plans were thought that our buying the story treatments was a
getting underway, however, Lucas received an offer tacit promise that we’d follow them.”
he decided he couldn’t refuse. In October 2012, he Lucas would explain in the 2020 book The Star
sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to the Walt Disney Co. in a deal Wars Archives: 1999–2005 that giving up control of
worth more than $4 billion. the franchise was “very, very painful” for him, but
Lucas had always felt an affinity for Disney, he did it in part to focus on his family—he was about
dating back to his visits to Disneyland as a child. to have a daughter with his second wife Mellody
And while the sale meant giving up complete Hobson. Faced with the prospect of spending the
control of Star Wars, one particular clause in the next decade working on yet another Star Wars
deal made it more palatable for him: Disney would trilogy, he decided, “I’d rather raise my daughter
buy his prepared story treatments for the sequel and enjoy life for a while.” Still, he noted, “I thought
trilogy, so he would still have some creative input. I was going to have a little bit more to say about the
53
54
next three because I’d already started them, but

they decided they wanted to do something else.
Things don’t always work out the way you want.”
Lucas did not hide his opinion about the sequel
trilogy’s first installment, 2015’s The Force Awakens.
“They wanted to do a retro movie. I don’t like that,”
he said. “Every movie, I work very hard to make them
completely different, with different planets, with
different spaceships, make it new.” The interview
generated more backlash against Lucas, who
refrained from commenting publicly on Disney’s
subsequent Star Wars films, and reportedly did not
attend the premiere of the final film in the so-called
Skywalker Saga, 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.
“They weren’t that keen to have me involved
anyway,” Lucas said. “If I get in there, I’m just going
to cause trouble, because they’re not going to do
what I want them to do. And I don’t have the control
to do that anymore, and all I would do is muck
everything up. And so I said, ‘OK, I will go my way,
and I’ll let them go their way.’”
In a sense, Star Wars had rebelled against the
rebel who created it.
The Star Wars sequel trilogy introduced new heroes

(left) and villains (above) into the universe.
55
A Toy
Story
Before 1977, toys based on movies
were not much of a business. That changed in
a big way because of Star Wars
By Kelvin C. Bias
A boy plays with a toy replica of the Millennium Falcon in 1983. Merchandising had always
been part of George Lucas’ grand plan for the Star Wars universe.
56
57
A 1978 toy version of a laser pistol from Star Wars. The packaging for the land speeder
can be seen behind it.
N
OT ALL OF LUKE SKYWALKER’S “I have a particular affection for games and
adventures played out in the cool toys—there’s no doubting that I haven’t grown up,”
darkness of a movie theater. Millions Lucas said in a 1977 interview with the magazine
more happened in suburban backyards, Ecran. “All of this was part of the film, the intention
bustling city playgrounds and within the thick shag of launching toys in supermarkets, creating books
rugs of 1970s living rooms. and stuff.”
In 1976, when George Lucas was negotiating his Lucas felt strongly about the merchandising
deal with 20th Century Fox to distribute Star Wars, potential for Star Wars, but he struggled to find a
he not only imagined a galaxy far, far away—he also partner in the industry that shared his faith. The
pictured the opportunity for a massive collection most obvious company was the Mego Corporation,
of toys that would be enjoyed by kids everywhere a New York City-based manufacturer that licensed
on earth. This took vision. At the time, conventional and successfully sold action figures based on
wisdom held that toys based on movies sputtered superheroes from DC and Marvel, as well as charac-
soon after the film’s theatrical run. Hollywood films ters from popular TV shows like Happy Days. Mego
rarely lasted in movie houses longer than 10 weeks, passed. So did Hasbro, Parker Brothers and Mattel.
and few believed Star Wars, with its strange sci-fi By April 1977, just a month before Star Wars was
mythology, would be any different. But Lucas released in theaters, no toymaker license had
believed there was enough story behind Star Wars materialized. Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz flew
to be different—even if the movie flopped. to Cincinnati for a last-ditch meeting to land a
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Kenner didn’t have time to manufacture action figures before the release of Star Wars, so it
created an Early Bird Certificate Package that entitled the buyer to four action figures later.
licensing pact with Kenner Products, a small the film’s release. Almost immediately, the film
subsidiary of General Mills. became a pop-culture phenomenon with virtually
Kenner made action figures for the 1973–78 TV nothing to satisfy intense consumer demand. Six
hit The Six Million Dollar Man, starring Lee Majors months after the movie’s premiere, Kenner rolled
as Air Force Colonel Steve Austin, and despite not out its first Star Wars products: jigsaw puzzles and
knowing the Star Wars story, Kenner president a board game. With the winter holidays fast
Bernard Loomis sensed an opportunity. Loomis flew approaching, eager kids (and desperate parents)
to L.A. and reached a deal in which Kenner bought wanted action figures.
the exclusive rights to produce Star Wars toys in Loomis decided to do something somewhat
perpetuity for $100,000 to the studio—and $10,000 desperate himself. He had Kenner produce empty
annually to Lucas. The press release on the agreement cardboard boxes that could be sold, wrapped and
mentioned it was a good deal “galaxywide.” Lucas given as a gift for $7.99. Called the Early Bird
also received a small portion of the sales—five cents Certificate Package, the box contained an I.O.U.
of every dollar Kenner sold was to be split evenly slip that could be redeemed for four action figures:
between the director and the studio. And if Kenner Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2 and
failed to meet the $10,000 annual figure, all licensing Chewbacca. The certificate stated that the four
rights reverted back to Lucas. Star Wars figures would arrive at your home
With such a late jump, Kenner did not have time between Feb. 1 and June 1 of 1978—before they
to actually manufacture Star Wars action figures for were available in stores.
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In 1999, a few months before the release of Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace,
LEGO entered the Star Wars toy business.
Kenner even produced a TV commercial touting collectibles and helped kick-start a lucrative Star
the package’s “colorful Star Wars picture display Wars collector’s market. (An Obi-Wan Kenobi
stand.” (This was the box itself.) A Star Wars club double-telescoping lightsaber figure fetched
membership card signed by Luke Skywalker and $76,000 in 2018.)
stickers were thrown in for good measure, but some Lucas’ share of the profits helped him fund
retailers questioned the validity, and ethics, of production of the movie sequels. By mid-1978, he
selling “toy certificates” and refused to carry the had created another company, Black Falcon, to
Early Bird kit. The packages now sell for $2,000 or handle all of the burgeoning licensing. In his
more to collectors, depending on condition. contract for The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas
Finally, by the end of 1978, a dozen different Star stipulated that on July 1, instead of splitting the
Wars action figures were available for purchase. merchandising profits evenly, he would receive
Kenner sold 40 million units that year— 80% to the studio’s 20%. The studio complied
approximately $100 million worth of toys. The because it feared losing Star Wars. Lucas’
initial batch of Star Wars figures featured a double- merchandising masterstroke is now regarded as
telescoping lightsaber, a piece that extended from among the savviest marketing coups of all time.
Luke Skywalker’s hand up to two inches, as well as During the theatrical run of the original trilogy—
a green-molded version of Chewbacca’s bowcaster which spanned nine years—Kenner sold 22 million
(later versions were black). Both of these variations action figures annually, and the average American
later became hard to find and exceedingly valuable kid owned 11 Star Wars toys. Kenner branched out
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Customers check out the Phantom Menace toys at the Toys R Us store on Old Kent Road in
London in 1999. The store opened at midnight to allow people to shop the new collection.
into vehicles and spaceships, including replicas of Star Wars toy business at light speed with its line
land speeders, the Millennium Falcon, TIE and of mini-figure sets based, at first, on the original
X-wing fighters and a remote-controlled Jawa films, then the prequels and then the subsequent
sandcrawler. However, from 1986 to 1995, no new sequel trilogy. It marked the first intellectual
Star Wars movies or toys filled theaters or stores. In property foray in LEGO’s history. In 2019, Hasbro
1991, Hasbro bought Kenner, but it failed to pay released a retro line of Star Wars action figures.
Lucas his $10,000 annual fee, which voided the Today, there are nearly 2,500 different figures that
contract. A bidding war ensued, and Hasbro had to a person can own.
pay a higher percentage (18%) to buy back in. A Lucas’ radical business acumen altered two
smaller, New York-based company, Galoob, also different industries. Star Wars toys are a more than
entered the market. $20 billion global business—some estimates place
Some Wall Street analysts credited ongoing toy it as high as $32 billion—and movie toy tie-ins are
sales for Lucas’ decision to rerelease the original commonplace. Now, most blockbusters have
Star Wars numerous times over the years as well licensing deals done and toys on the shelves before
as to move forward with the prequel trilogy, the film’s release. Lucas had been right all along.
because they showed the filmmaker that his In a 1974 interview before he’d even finished the
creation was still popular. In 1999, a few months first Star Wars script, he told the reporter: “If I
before the release of Star Wars: Episode I—The wasn’t a filmmaker, I’d probably be a toymaker.”
Phantom Menace, Danish-based LEGO entered the Eventually, he became both.
61
The 45
Greatest
Moments in
Star Wars
History
No science-fiction franchise
has been more influential (sorry, Star Trek fans!)
By Eliana Dockterman, Alex Fitzpatrick, Glenn Greenberg,
Megan McCluskey and Matt Vella
Over the last 45 years, the space-opera film saga created by George Lucas has delivered
1,492 minutes of lightsaber duels, intergalactic dogfights and dynastic drama. Even nonfans
are likely to immediately recognize iconic imagery such as Darth Vader’s helmet, the Millennium
Falcon and Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber. Which begs the question: Of the hundreds, maybe
thousands, to choose from, which Star Wars moments are the best?
TIME’s entertainment team and sundry Star Wars superfans on staff compiled the top 45
scenes. We included only moments from the original trilogy, the prequels, the sequel trilogy,
Rogue One and Solo. It should come as no surprise that this list, arranged in the chronological
order of each movie’s original release, was debated at length.
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EPISODE IV: vessel passing overhead as it (voiced by James Earl Jones),

A NEW HOPE chases the fleeing ship carrying sends an S.O.S. to the only
(1977) Rebel leader Princess Leia (Carrie person she knows who could
1 The Opening Crawl Fisher), stunned audiences be of help: aging Jedi Master
When the first Star Wars was with its realism. Mel Brooks Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness),
released in 1977, contemporary famously parodied this now-iconic who’s in hiding on the planet
movies simply didn’t open like this. moment in his 1987 sci-fi spoof, Tatooine. Leia’s plea has become
So audiences knew they were in Spaceballs, with a similar shot a meme unto itself, uttered even
for something different when the presenting a spaceship that goes by nonfans in times of crisis.
words “STAR WARS” blazed across on … and on … and on …
the screen with the full might of 5 Vader Force-chokes Motti
John Williams’ powerful orchestral 3 The binary sunset Admiral Motti (Richard
work behind them. (The text effect Early in A New Hope, Luke LeParmentier) attempts to
was an homage to the Flash Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is give Vader a dressing-down over
Gordon reels of the 1940s.) The like any other teen: impatient, his unswerving belief in the
words that followed—“It is a period sometimes whiny and desperate power of the Force. Big misstep.
of civil war…”—both grounded to leave home. What sets him The admiral realizes it before he
viewers in this new universe and apart—and his fantastic destiny can even finish his tirade as Vader
became iconic in their own right, to come—is illustrated in a suffocates him from across the
establishing a practice followed powerful moment: Luke is taking room. “I find your lack of faith
by every subsequent movie save in the Tatooine sunset, except disturbing,” Vader forebodingly
for anthology films like Rogue One there are two suns. Kansas? croons as the Imperial officers
and Solo. Nope, not anymore. cower before him.
2 The Star Destroyer pursues 4 “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, 6 Obi-Wan mind-tricks the
the Rebel cruiser over Tatooine you’re my only hope” Stormtroopers
The shot at the beginning of the Leia, about to be captured by Obi-Wan’s seemingly effortless
movie, with the massive Imperial Stormtroopers led by Darth Vader ability to convince the
63
Stormtroopers at Mos Eisley not fighter’s targeting computer. From in this manner—and how skilled
only that they don’t need to see a technological standpoint, it’s Luke has become since the end
Luke’s identification, but also madness. From a cosmic vantage, of A New Hope.
that R2-D2 and C-3PO (Anthony necessary. Luke obliges, using the
Daniels) aren’t the droids to Force to guide his torpedoes into 12 Han saves Luke on Hoth
whom Leia entrusted the Death the thermal exhaust port, setting Han was introduced in A New Hope
Star plans serves as Luke’s off a chain reaction that destroys as a scrappy pirate who doesn’t
memorable introduction to the the Empire’s fearsome planet- care about anybody but himself.
ways of the Force. It also brought killer. This wins the day, but it also But by the beginning of The Empire
about one of the franchise’s most shows the Force is powerful far Strikes Back, he’s someone who is
oft-repeated—and parodied— beyond mere parlor trickery. willing to risk his life to save Luke
lines: “These aren’t the droids from exposure in the punishing
you’re looking for.” 10 Han flies in to save the day environment of Hoth. After finding
Just when it seems as though Luke, Han keeps his friend warm
7 The Mos Eisley Cantina Luke is about to be shot down by slicing open his Tauntaun
One of the biggest faults of the by Vader and his squadron of TIE (think space camel). Han delivers
Star Wars saga arguably is that fighters before he can take the this classic line: “I thought they
it focuses so much on its human shot that will destroy the Death smelled bad on the outside.”
(and humanlike) characters even Star, Han Solo (Harrison Ford)
while building a rich universe of shows up in the Millennium Falcon 13 “The Imperial March”
interesting aliens. Except, that is, to return fire on the Imperial If A New Hope is about the
for A New Hope’s classic cantina ships. This moment is made all triumph of good over evil, The
scene, which takes viewers on the more epic by Han’s earlier Empire Strikes Back is exactly
a whirlwind tour of Star Wars declaration that he was only the opposite. Nothing drives
extraterrestrials. And that music helping the Rebels for the reward home the terrifying size and
played by the house band is just money, as it shows how far the scale of the Empire like this
so catchy! cynical smuggler has come since scene, which shows the sheer
being pulled into the story. number of Star Destroyers in the
8 The trash compactor Imperial Fleet—and reveals Darth
This is the first time the band EPISODE V: THE Vader’s Executor-class Super
(Leia, Luke, Han and Chewie) EMPIRE STRIKES Star Destroyer, a battleship of
comes together. From the moment BACK (1980) immense size. But what really
they start exchanging charged 11 Luke frees himself in the made this scene memorable
barbs, you know they have Wampa’s lair is John Williams’ “Imperial
something special. It’s the perfect On the ice planet Hoth, Luke March,” an instantly memorable
mix of terror and humor at which regains consciousness to find orchestral triumph that oozes
Star Wars excels. (This famous himself hung upside down, his pure evil.
scene has one unanswered feet frozen to the ceiling of a
question: If the trash compactor remote cave inhabited by the
compacts every few hours, how ferocious Wampa. Realizing
does the trash monster not get he’s set to be the creature’s
crushed multiple times a day?) next meal, Luke reaches for his
lightsaber, lying on the ground
9 “Use the Force, Luke” nearby, to no avail. Pushing
As Luke Skywalker is flying himself to remain calm and
his X-wing into the Death Star concentrate, Luke uses the Force
trenches, he gets a call from to summon the weapon to him
beyond: it’s the now-deceased and cuts himself down. It is the
Obi-Wan, telling him to turn off his first time we see the Force used
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14 The Battle of Hoth Luke’s massive X-wing starfighter “I love you too,” but Ford
The problem with putting all your out of the Dagobah swamp, thought cocky Solo would have a
strategic eggs in one basket, we finally recognize just how snarkier response and reportedly
any military commander will tell awesome the Force can truly be. improvised “I know.” The
you, is that that basket is a prime exchange perfectly captures the
target for an enemy assault. So 16 Lando’s treachery character—always bursting the
learned the Rebels on Hoth, when From the second Han even dramatic bubble. Not to mention
the Imperial fleet dispatched a mentions his buddy Lando the dynamic between the two
phalanx of mighty AT-AT walkers to Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), lovebirds, one of the greatest in
neutralize their base. The Battle of viewers are left on edge: Can cinematic history.
Hoth gave us a classic Star Wars he—can we—really trust this
scene: the Rebels figuring out guy? Kind of seems to be the 18 Luke and Vader’s first
they could jerry-rig their fighters case on Cloud City. Lando lightsaber duel
to tie up the walkers with cabling, provides nice digs, fresh clothes Even without the iconic revelation
sending them plummeting into the and even an invitation to brunch. about Vader, the Sith Lord’s
snow in epic fashion. But once the dining room door first battle with the newly
opens, with Darth Vader waiting trained Skywalker is one for
15 Yoda lifts Luke’s X-wing at the head of the table, it the books. This high-stakes
Until this moment, the power becomes clear Lando is a double- showdown between good and
of the Force seems relatively crosser of the worst variety. evil is the perfect culmination
muted: We know it can summon of the events leading up to it.
small objects, it can be used to 17 Leia and Han express their Not to mention that the actual
deceive the weak-minded, and true feelings fighting is a vast improvement
it can even help a torpedo find As Han is lowered into the on the choreography of the only
its way into a thermal exhaust carbonite mold at the end of lightsaber duel that precedes it—
port. But when the diminutive Empire, Leia lets out a desper- the rheumatic, anticlimactic clash
and aging Yoda (Frank Oz) uses ate “I love you.” The script had between Obi-Wan and Vader in
the mysterious Jedi power to lift Han responding with a generic, A New Hope.
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19 Vader reveals Luke’s lineage springs into action on Tatooine. without at least one high-speed
Widely considered to be one of No longer the Jedi novice who chase, Star Wars included. Packed
the greatest twists in cinematic faced Darth Vader in Empire, with seat-gripping first-person
history, the moment Vader Luke calmly leaps toward a grisly shots, Luke and Princess Leia’s
reveals his true identity to Luke death in the pit of the Sarlacc 125-mph pursuit of Imperial
has become synonymous with before executing a perfect Force- scout troopers through the dense
the allure of the Star Wars saga. powered somersault back onto forest of Endor is one of the
After Luke abandons his Jedi Jabba’s skiff. Turning the tables saga’s most thrilling sequences.
training to rescue his friends on never looked so balletic. The pod-race sequence in The
Cloud City—despite warnings Phantom Menace may be superior
from both Yoda and the ghost 21 Leia strangles Jabba on a technical level, but here the
of Obi-Wan—he ends up locked Let’s get this out of the way: Lucas’ stakes are much higher and there
in a duel with the Sith Lord. notorious decision to show Carrie are no corny comedy bits along
The scene culminates in both Fisher chained up wearing a gold the way.
the loss of Luke’s right hand bikini was an unabashed grab at
and what is arguably the most teenage boys’ wallets. (Fisher was 23 Admiral Ackbar yells, “It’s a
famous movie quote of all time: not a fan and reportedly warned trap!”
“No, I am your father.” The Force Awakens star Daisy Ridley Was there a more gif-able line
to refuse to wear any swimwear.) filmed in the pre-gif era?
EPISODE VI: RETURN But oh, what eventual catharsis: Admiral Ackbar (voiced by Erik
OF THE JEDI (1983) Leia strangles Jabba with the very Bauersfeld) figures out the Rebels
20 Luke’s leap off Jabba’s chains that enslaved her. Leia was have entered an ambush a bit too
gangplank the first powerful princess capable late during the Battle of Endor.
Although Luke doesn’t complete of saving herself rather than waiting While the line has been a favorite
his training with Yoda until after for a knight in shining armor. of nerds for decades, it flourished
Han’s rescue in Return, it’s in the internet era when
clear his powers have grown 22 The speeder-bike chase prank-reaction memes were in
considerably by the time he No action series is complete high demand.
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24 Vader saves Luke from the EPISODE II: ATTACK Chancellor Palpatine overlooking
Emperor OF THE CLONES the massing of an army to the
The story of Anakin Skywalker— (2002) ominous tune of “The Imperial
the central character of the Star 27 Yoda teaches the younglings March.” The scene effectively set
Wars saga—finally comes full Before the prequels, we only got the stage for all the internecine
circle as Vader tosses Emperor to see how Yoda taught the ways battles to come.
Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) down of the Force to Luke, already an
the Death Star reactor shaft, adult. Here we get a fun look EPISODE III:
proving there is, in fact, still at what it’s like to grow up in REVENGE OF THE
good in him. Vader’s decision to training to become a Jedi warrior. SITH (2005)
kill his master in order to save Turns out it’s a lot like preschool, 30 Republican liberty dies
his son is one of sacrifice, as but with more lightsabers. George Lucas’ preoccupation
the Force lightning that surges with intergalactic governance
through his body when he picks 28 Yoda battles Count Dooku was at times distracting and,
up the Emperor ultimately kills Episode II was the first movie as commentary on the George
him. It’s also one of redemption, where Yoda was digitally W. Bush era, a little on the
allowing him to become one animated rather than portrayed nose. But the observation from
with the Force at the moment by a puppet. The CGI allowed for Padme (Natalie Portman), “So
of his death. this ridiculously fun (and flexy) this is how liberty dies—with
lightsaber battle between the thunderous applause,” is one of
25 Vader is unmasked Jedi Master and the Sith Lord the few great one-liners from the
Why is Darth Vader considered Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). prequel trilogy.
one of the most compelling
movie villains of all time? It’s 29 Yoda declares the start of 31 Yoda fights Darth Sidious
at least in part due to his the Clone Wars The original trilogy denied fans
utterly terrifying mask, which Sensing the Jedi victory on the opportunity to see either
kept the “real” Vader hidden Geonosis was really no victory of the (arguably) most powerful
from view. So it was all the at all, Yoda is quick to counter Jedi Masters wield a lightsaber.
more powerful when, with Vader Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), So naturally, the prequels could
drawing his last breaths, Luke who expresses gratitude for only culminate in a head-to-
removed the Sith Lord’s mask, the nick-of-time arrival of the head battle between the two.
revealing beneath it the face of clone army. “The shroud of the With the fate of the Republic
a remorseful and disfigured old Dark Side has fallen—begun hanging in the balance, Yoda
man (Sebastian Shaw). the Clone War has,” Yoda and Darth Sidious (Palpatine)
muses as the scene pans to engage in an acrobatic duel of
EPISODE I: THE wits, swordsmanship and Force
PHANTOM MENACE wizardry that illustrates the stark
(1999) differences between the Light
26 Yoda explains anger and Dark Sides.
One of the best pieces of Yoda
wisdom actually comes in 32 Obi-Wan vs. Anakin on Mustafar
the much-maligned Phantom A key moment fans waited three
Menace. The little green Jedi prequels for: Anakin Skywalker
Master succinctly explains (Hayden Christensen) breaking
Anakin’s imminent downfall—and bad and taking on his mentor. And
the theme of the prequels: “Fear boy, did Lucas milk it. This may be
is the path to the Dark Side. Fear the longest fight scene ever, with
leads to anger, anger leads to enough time for in-fight dialogue
hate, hate leads to suffering.” like “From my perspective, the
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Jedi are evil.” Most memorable, major guts for J.J. Abrams to axe and embrace, knowing that their
though, is Anakin’s limbless body one of the series’ most beloved mission has been accomplished
rolling around on the ground … characters. But it gave an often- and that their sacrifice will
before catching fire. playful movie emotional heft and not have been in vain. For its
cleared the way for the new cast second Star Wars movie, Disney
33 Vader’s first breath members to grow into their roles. demonstrated a full commitment
The moment that Lucas’ prequels to the story by not shying away
were ultimately building toward: 37 Rey summons Luke’s from the ending, in which all of
the transformation of the horribly lightsaber with the Force the main protagonists perish
maimed Anakin into Vader. The Kylo Ren reaches his hand out fighting against tyranny and evil.
final scene of Episode III gave for the lightsaber in the snow.
fans a detailed look at the origins It quivers. And then it flies past 39 Vader’s ruthless massacre
of the galaxy’s ultimate villain. Kylo and into the hands of Rey The first true demonstration of the
But it also underscored why (Daisy Ridley). For every little girl full extent of Vader’s power didn’t
Vader—consciousness alienated who was told growing up that come until the closing sequence
from its physical form—has she couldn’t play Jedi because of this Star Wars film—released
always been a singularly “girls don’t get lightsabers,” 33 years after the Sith Lord’s
compelling portrayal of evil. seeing a woman wield the famed death in Return of the Jedi. But
weapon was a moment. it was well worth the wait. As
EPISODE VII: THE the group of Rebel soldiers who
FORCE AWAKENS ROGUE ONE: A STAR received the transmission of
(2015) WARS STORY (2016) the Death Star plans attempt to
34 “Chewie, we’re home” 38 Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor evade pursuing Imperial forces,
There was a lot of anxiety about face doom together Vader finds his way on board their
the series’ return to the big Having infiltrated the Imperial ship. The merciless slaughter that
screen with The Force Awakens. data bank on the planet Scarif, ensues gives undeniable credence
When Han Solo and Chewbacca Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), aided by to his standing as the most feared
(Peter Mayhew and Joonas Rebel intelligence officer Cassian monster in the galaxy.
Suotamo) find their way back Andor (Diego Luna), transmits the
to the Millennium Falcon after schematics of the Death Star to EPISODE VIII: THE
years apart, Han might as well be Rebel forces. The pair watch from LAST JEDI (2017)
speaking for the entire audience. the surface as the battle station 40 Yoda’s final lesson for Luke
fires its superlaser to destroy the It was a delightful surprise when
35 Kylo Ren throws a fit site. Watching the massive wave the little green Jedi Master, once
Think what you will of Kylo Ren of destruction approach them, again portrayed by a physical
(Adam Driver), but no next-gen Jyn and Cassian accept their fate puppet instead of a CGI effect,
villain was going to live up to returned from the great beyond
Darth Vader. So why not make to offer wisdom and counsel to
Ren petulant? Kylo pulling out his former pupil for the last time.
his lightsaber and destroying Yoda’s irreverent and mischievous
whatever was nearby proved that side, largely unseen since The
he was a worthy villain, if an Empire Strikes Back, was on full
immature one. display in a touching scene that
provoked both laughs and tears.
36 Kylo Ren kills Han
The only person who saw this twist 41 Luke confronts Kylo Ren
coming was Harrison Ford, who Many fans long wanted to see
wanted Han to be killed off way Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
back in the original trilogy. It took in full Jedi Master mode. They
68
finally got a glimpse of that 43 Han completes the Kessel Run Pasaana, Rey braces herself,
when Luke showed up to confront Ever since Han’s boast in A leaps over the fighter and
his wayward nephew Kylo Ren New Hope that the Millennium slices off one of its wings with
and give Leia and the Resistance Falcon made the Kessel Run her lightsaber as she comes
a chance to escape. While it “in less than 12 parsecs,” fans back down. She engages in a
turned out that Luke wasn’t and at least one writer of the telekinetic tug-of-war with Kylo
physically there, his showdown officially licensed Star Wars over a departing First Order
with Kylo was packed with novels have tried to come up vessel apparently carrying an
emotion and provided a moving with a plausible explanation for imprisoned Chewbacca. Rey
end for one of the saga’s most that claim. After all, a parsec is shoots very familiar-looking
important characters. a unit of distance, not time. Now Force lightning from her
we know that young Han used a fingertips, accidentally destroying
SOLO: A STAR WARS shortcut that involved a swirling the ship—and dropping a clue
STORY (2018) energy vortex, a giant bug- about her true heritage.
42 Han and Chewbacca meet eyed monster and a squadron
for the first time of pursuing TIE fighters—not 45 C-3PO steps up
After attempting to desert his to mention a cargo of stolen, The key to finding Emperor
post in the Imperial infantry and highly volatile fuel edging Palpatine’s location resides
join up with a band of outlaws, closer to detonation with each in C-3PO’s memory banks.
young Han (Alden Ehrenreich) passing moment. Talk about an Unfortunately, the only way
is thrown into a holding cell. A impressive career launch. to extract the data will erase
couple of Stormtroopers watch his memory. In a surprising
and wait for him to be eaten EPISODE IX: move, C-3PO agrees to the
by his fellow prisoner—none THE RISE OF procedure, aware of what it
other than Chewbacca (Joonas SKYWALKER (2019) will do to him but willing to
Suotamo). Instead, the two 44 Rey unleashes her full power sacrifice for the greater good.
captives devise an escape and As Kylo Ren approaches in his Seems everyone—even a
form a lifelong partnership. TIE fighter on the surface of droid—can find the hero within.
69
-
The
TIME
Star Wars
Covers By Lily Rothman
“TIME and Star Wars have both been a part of the American culture,” says TIME creative
director D.W. Pine, noting that the Star Wars covers have evolved along with the movies.
70
T
HOUGH A NEW HOPE DID MERIT
significant coverage when it was released
in 1977, it wasn’t until 1978, in a story
about the role of computers in society,
that a familiar droid popped up on TIME’s cover. By
1980, Darth Vader was repping The Empire Strikes
Back; George Lucas showed up in 1983 to “wrap
up” the series with Return of the Jedi; and Vader,
Yoda and a trio of Jedis appeared for Episodes I–III.
“TIME and Star Wars have both been a part of
the American culture . . . the movies have been
prominently featured inside the red border since
the beginning of the franchise,” says TIME creative
director D.W. Pine. “The cover styles have evolved
along with it—from Marshall Arisman’s classic Darth
Vader painting to a 3D rendered portrait of Vader to
stunning photographs of droids past and present.”
The difference between those two Vader
covers tracks not only the character’s decades-
long cultural influence and the progression of
artistic trends, but also changes in moviemaking
technology and even the arc of the story. These
Feb. 20, 1978
are TIME’s Star Wars covers.
[C-3P0]
May 19, 1980 May 23, 1983

[Darth Vader] [George Lucas and company]
71
Feb. 10, 1997 March 17, 1997
[The original Star Wars cast] [Darth Vader]
April 26, 1999 May 31, 1999

[Obi-Wan, Anakin and Qui-Gon] [Darth Maul]
72
April 29, 2002 May 9, 2005

[Yoda] [Darth Vader]
Dec. 14, 2015 Dec. 14, 2015

[R2-D2] [BB-8]
73
Chapter 3
TODAY,
TOMORROW
AND
BEYONDAfter 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker,
the Star Wars franchise took a moment to pause,
then pivoted toward the future
How The
Mandalorian
Changed
the Future of
Star Wars Creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni
blazed a new path forward on streaming
By Dante A. Ciampaglia
The Mandalorian marked the first live-action Star Wars television series and introduced the character of
Grogu, a Force-sensitive Jedi youngling who belongs to the same species as Yoda.
76
77
A
TOP THE LIST OF COMPLAINTS THAT
Star Wars fans registered with the
sequel trilogy of films was how these
“
movies portrayed Luke Skywalker. I remember joking
The blame did not fall on actor Mark Hamill,
but rather on the story arc of the new films. The with George, ‘You
stories did not give Luke, the character, something
meaningful and fulfilling to do. Specifically, fans know, when Return
wanted Luke to show more spirit and fight. They
wanted him to be a hero.
of the Jedi ends, it’s
When the end credits rolled on The Rise of
Skywalker, officially designated “the end” of the
all over for me.’
Skywalker Saga by Disney, the chance for Luke to
show his Jedi credentials looked like it would never
come again.
” —Mark Hamill
“I remember joking with George [Lucas], ‘You

know, when Return of the Jedi ends, it’s all over for
me. …’” Hamill said. “I was joking, but it did occur much foreshadowing, there was Luke at the end of
to me that he went from a farm boy and then to a season two, in his familiar black uniform and hooded
trainee and to a Jedi, and then it’s over. There are cloak, boarding an Imperial starship, igniting his
no tales of his exploits as a Jedi.” green lightsaber and laying waste to an army of
That all changed with (spoiler alert!) a streaming indestructible battle droids on his way to saving a
show on Disney+ called The Mandalorian. Without Force-sensitive being hunted by remnants of the
Empire. The role was even acted by Hamill, de-aged
by a computer so that Luke was young again. So too
were millions of overjoyed Star Wars fans.
The Mandalorian, which premiered in 2019
on Disney’s streaming service, has renewed
innumerable fans’ enthusiasm for the entire Star
Wars franchise thanks to its quality, sincerity and
creative audacity. After the Walt Disney Co.
acquired Star Wars and Lucasfilm Ltd. in 2012 for
$4.05 billion, a new trilogy of sequel films were
put into motion. Beginning with Episode VII:
The Force Awakens (2015), Disney saturated
multiplexes with five films in five years. The results
were profitable—each of the three sequel films
earned more than $1 billion worldwide—but the
financial results diminished with each of the new
releases. So too did fan enthusiasm. The last two
installments, The Last Jedi and The Rise of
Skywalker, were particularly disappointing to the
fan base. And the harder the studio tried to right
the starship, the more audiences seemed to
The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, a

member of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild who was offered
a substantial reward for the acquisition of an asset—a
Force-sensitive child named Grogu.
78
79
80
Above: Director Deborah Chow (left) gives notes to star Pedro Pascal on the set of The Mandalorian.
Opposite page: Young Grogu peeks out from behind a wall.
grumble. It seemed like everyone was suffering fan-favorite characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lando
from Star Wars fatigue. Calrissian and Ahsoka Tano.
In this environment, The Mandalorian’s success The success of The Mandalorian, and the
was hardly a given. What more was there to say? blazingly bright small-screen future of the Star Wars
Some doubted that a live-action Star Wars franchise, wasn’t a fluke. It was the result of more
story, with its reliance on special effects and than 20 years of foundation building, with Dave
spectacle, could even work on television. Would Filoni the chief architect. Now Lucasfilm’s executive
people watch it—especially if it didn’t involve creative director, Filoni was an animator hired by
characters, and actors, that everyone knew? The George Lucas to run Lucasfilm Animation and
biggest question of all was even more cosmic: whose work on Star Wars cartoons showed what
Did audiences have room in their hearts for more was possible in terms of expanding the contours of
Star Wars? this galaxy far, far away.
The answer: yes, yes, enthusiastically yes. “He, more than anyone, just sort of innately
The Mandalorian connected so well with viewers knows what’s right and what’s wrong for Star
that it opened an entirely new avenue for telling Wars,” said Deborah Chow, who directed two
Star Wars stories. In the wake of the show’s success, episodes of The Mandalorian, in the Disney Gallery
Disney has green-lighted or released more than half documentary series about the show. Star Pedro
a dozen TV projects, ranging from The Book of Boba Pascal agreed: “He’s the truest lover of material.
Fett, which spun out of The Mandalorian and He’s so well-informed, and he knows exactly what
debuted in December 2021, to shows centered on would fit, what would make sense.”
81
82
Clockwise from left: Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard

and Taika Waititi take their turns directing episodes
of The Mandalorian.
F
ILONI EARNED HIS REPUTATION WORKING
alongside Lucas as the creator who launched
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, first as a feature
film and then as a Cartoon Network series in 2008.
Chronicling the epic conflict teased in A New Hope
and set up by Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002),
the computer-animated series, which ran seven
seasons, bridged the years between that film and
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). It fleshed
out relationships, motivations and events the
films could only glance at, and introduced crucial
new characters including Ahsoka Tano, Anakin
Skywalker’s apprentice whose arc interacted with
and informed future series. It was also exceedingly
popular. The Clone Wars was canceled post-Disney
acquisition, before its story was finished, and
fan outcry was such that two more seasons were
released, one on Netflix and the other on Disney+,
to bring the series to a satisfying end.
What Filoni accomplished with The Clone Wars
was, in its own way, miraculous. The prequel films
were met with such disdain from original trilogy
fans—“George Lucas ruined my childhood!” was a
83
From left to right: Carl Weathers as Greef Karga, the leader of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild; a Tusken Raider
rides a bantha; the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) with Grogu.
constant refrain in various online comments That hope permeated Filoni’s post-Clone Wars
sections—that anything set during that period projects, like the complex and affecting Star Wars
seemed destined for failure. But for children, always Rebels, a more traditionally animated series that
one of Star Wars’ target audiences, the prequels and aired on Disney XD from 2014–18 and explored
The Clone Wars were popular staples. An entire stories set in the years between Episodes III and
generation of fans loved this version of Star Wars. IV. That show, also popular with a passionate
Eventually, some older converts came around too. following, confirmed Filoni’s place as Lucas’
“The prequels, I thought, were almost an successor: here was the person who fundamentally
impossible task. How do you tell this story that got Star Wars. And with the show’s acumen of
we’ve all grown up imagining?” Filoni said. bringing its new heroes into occasional orbit with
“[But] what I like about [them] is [they’re] really old friends, like Princess Leia and Darth Vader,
saying there’s a lot of hope out there, that we while taking us to new worlds and expanding the
fundamentally want to be good people, that we mythologies that undergird Star Wars, Rebels set
can all be driven to do terrible things, but that the template for The Mandalorian.
we can persevere through selfless action. It’s
S
something [George has] reiterated most times TAR WARS HAD A DECADE OF SUCCESS WITH
I’ve seen him after we’ve been making things animated series, but the dream had long
without him: Remember to make these stories been a live-action Star Wars show. A series
hopeful. Remember to give that to kids because focused on the galaxy’s criminal underworld was
they really need it.” announced in 2005. Fifty scripts were reportedly
84
85
Giancarlo Esposito plays Moff Gideon, an Imperial leader of a remnant of the fallen Galactic Empire who tries to
capture Grogu in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
written and the project was still in the mix after Return of the Jedi, the show would follow a
after the Disney purchase, but nothing came of loner bounty hunter drawn into a world of Imperial
the concept. Disney’s resources, though, and dead-enders, wary New Republicans and Jedi-in-
the promise of a streaming platform made the hiding. Who could resist? Certainly not Kennedy,
prospect of a live-action, small-screen Star Wars who connected Favreau with Filoni to hone the
too rich with potential to abandon. concept. Filoni eventually came on as co-executive
Director Jon Favreau pitched The Mandalorian producer, and the pair blocked out the eight
to Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy in 2017 as a episodes that came to be season one.
story that leans hard into the serialized Westerns “We tried to reconnect with the roots of what
that, along with samurai tales, form Star Wars’ DNA. inspired George,” Favreau told the New York
A Man With No Name-style adventure set five years Times. “A Mandalorian character lends itself to
“
We tried to reconnect with the roots
of what inspired George.
” —Jon Favreau
86
Bryce Dallas Howard, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Taika Waititi, Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow (clockwise
from top left) participate in a directors’ roundtable for The Mandalorian.
simple storytelling, in the spirit of the Westerns Wars and Rebels. Elements of both shows appear
that were so popular on television in the generation in The Mandalorian’s first two seasons, from
of my father.” Ahsoka Tano to the Darksaber wielded by Moff
On its own, The Mandalorian was thrilling, a Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) to the planet
throwback to the style and vibe of the original Mandalore’s clashing tribes and religiosity. It
trilogy that similarly blazed new technological built off previous stories while enlarging the
ground. Its biggest filming breakthrough is the narrative scope—a notable failure of the sequel
Volume, a high-tech iteration on rear projection that trilogy—and whenever familiar faces show up, be
helps place set-bound actors in a far-flung location it Ahsoka or Boba Fett or creatures like Jawas,
with believable results thanks to higher-quality they’re crucial elements of The Mandalorian, not
video screens and environmental lighting. With the nostalgic window dressing.
Volume and a commitment to lingering in the Which is exactly why the climactic moment
shadowy corners of the post-Jedi galaxy, Favreau with Luke Skywalker was so effective. Favreau and
and Filoni could tell new stories that examined how Filoni knew bringing back Star Wars’ hero of
a civilization at war for decades grapples with heroes was risky. They were flirting with decades
peacetime and a reentry into democracy—especially of fan imagination and expectation, and if they
if remnants of the old authoritarian regime aren’t screwed it up they would undermine their show—
willing to lay down their arms. and potentially the franchise. But, Favreau said,
For Filoni, The Mandalorian also represented a “We knew that if we could pull this off, it would
continuation of narratives he began in The Clone mean so much to so many people.”
87
Coming
Soon
to a TV
Near
You
Following the success of The
Mandalorian and more, additional
streaming shows set in the
Star Wars universe are on the
way. Here’s what to expect
By Kelvin C. Bias
A scene from the Disney+ show Andor, starring Diego Luna as

thief-turned-Rebel spy Cassian Andor.
88
W
hen Din Djarin
arrived on screen
for the first time
on Nov. 12,
2019, The Mandalorian ushered
in a new age of Star Wars, led by
executive producers Dave Filoni
and Jon Favreau. The pair has
decided to focus on what Favreau
called a “somewhat unexplored”
area in Star Wars history, with all of
their streaming series taking place
between Return of the Jedi and The
Force Awakens.
“There’s 30 years there that are
somewhat unexplored,” Favreau
said. “There’s a lot of room for
us to tell stories, and there are a
lot of characters that are in play,
because we know who’s around.”
For two years, The Mandalorian
was the only live-action show fans
had to hang their hat on. That
changed in December 2021 when
The Book of Boba Fett premiered,
spinning off the famed bounty
hunter. The show set into motion
the producers’ vision of weaving
all their characters together.
But many found the series a
disappointment, saying it did not
expand the mysterious character’s
story at all. It’s also widely agreed
upon that the best episode was
“Return of the Mandalorian,”
which was centered around Din
Djarin, not Fett, which should
explain one of the main issues.
So far, there are no plans for
season two.
But the Lucasfilm executives
are undeterred and have since
released Obi-Wan Kenobi and
Andor. Streaming numbers for
Disney+ are at an all-time high,
with the company reporting close
to 221 million subscribers in
August 2022—so the flow of Star
Wars content won’t be slowing
down. Warning: spoilers ahead.
89
OBI-WAN KENOBI ANDOR THE BAD BATCH,
(Available now on Disney+) (Available now on Disney+) SEASON 2
What It’s About: Set 10 years What It’s About: The show tells (Jan. 4, 2023 on Disney+)
after the events of Revenge of the the story of how one of the heroes What It’s About: Set immediately
Sith, Ewan McGregor reprised his of the movie Rogue One, Cassian following the execution of Order
role as the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Andor (Diego Luna), came to join 66, the animated The Bad Batch
Kenobi and his time in hiding on the Rebellion, set five years before follows a group of genetically
Tatooine following Order 66. The the events of the film. Creator Tony altered clone troopers (Hunter,
show was a fantastic adventure Gilroy gives a behind-the-scenes Tech, Wrecker, Echo and Crosshair)
in which Obi-Wan rescued a young look at how the Rebellion came whose mutations help them
Princess Leia Organa (Vivien Lyra about, featuring Senator Mon on the battlefield. During the first
Blair) from the clutches of bounty Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) in season, their squad mate
hunters. He accomplished all an expanded role and introducing Crosshair was recruited by the
this while avoiding the Imperial antiques dealer Luthen Rael Empire to lead an elite squadron
Inquisitors—led by the Third Sister, (Stellen Skarsgård), who has a as their rule begins. Created by
Reva Sevander (Moses Ingram), rebellious agenda. We see the Filoni, the titular batch of clones
tasked by Darth Vader—who were Empire at the height of its power, also come across Omega, a
on his trail. Obi-Wan came face as well as the impact it had on female unaltered clone of Jango
to face with his old Padawan for citizens of the galaxy. The Ringer Fett, who is just like his son, Boba.
the first time since their battle on raved that “the show doesn’t As the clones make their way
Mustafar, for an equally legendary belong just to Cassian Andor; it’s through the galaxy and discover
lightsaber battle that culminated about a whole constellation of their roles, they also have to
in an exchange between the seemingly minor figures whose protect their little sister, who is
two that Entertainment Weekly lives prove worth examining.” learning her own lessons about
called “Holy wow!” While it’s been the least-watched life in the Empire-controlled galaxy.
of the live-action Star Wars
Who’s Involved: Along with streaming shows, it’s been far Who’s Involved: While most of the
Ingram, Ice Cube’s son O’Shea and away the best received one voices are done by Dee Bradley
Jackson Jr. and comedian Kumail since The Mandalorian. A second Baker, trailers have revealed some
Nanjiani were introduced into season has been ordered. exciting characters that will be
the Star Wars universe. One of added in season two, including fan
the biggest surprises was Liam Who’s Involved: With Andor favorite Captain Rex, who had a
Neeson’s cameo as Qui-Gon appearing alongside a new cameo in season one. Meanwhile,
Jinn—and Hayden Christensen’s cast of characters, two exciting Emperor Palpatine and Grand
return as Darth Vader stole cameos in season one came from Moff Tarkin will be showing up,
the show. Esquire said of his Forest Whitaker, who appeared as will Commander Cody. Cody’s
performance, “Give it up for in Rogue One as the Rebel Saw appearance will be his first in the
Hayden Christensen, too, who’s Gerrera, and Andy Serkis, who post-Order 66 era of Star Wars and
entirely convincing that he was the voiced Supreme Leader Snoke in might help fans solve the mystery
one who killed his former self, Episodes VII and VIII, as Imperial of what happened to Obi-Wan
not Kenobi.” prisoner Kino Loy. Kenobi’s second-in-command.
90
THE MANDALORIAN, AHSOKA THE ACOLYTE

SEASON 3 (Possibly late 2023 on Disney+) (Late 2023 or early 2024
(February 2023 on Disney+) What It’s About: After Rosario on Disney+)
What It’s About: When the season Dawson’s first appearance What It’s About: Set in the final
two finale of The Mandalorian as Anakin Skywalker’s former days of the High Republic, the
began streaming on Dec. 16, Padawan Ahsoka Tano in season show has been described as a
2020, fans got a sneak peek at two of The Mandalorian, it seemed mystery-thriller that will display the
what the third installment of the she was destined to get her emerging powers of the Dark Side.
hit show is going to look like. Plus, own series. Not too long after The High Republic era showed
Din Djarin’s appearance in The she asked the Magistrate where the Jedi Order in its prime, and it
Book of Boba Fett revealed that Grand Admiral Thrawn, the main sounds like The Acolyte is going
he’s still trying to learn how to use antagonist from the animated to deal with what that looked like.
the Darksaber. Meanwhile, he also show Star Wars: Rebels, was, The story will feature a former
got some help from Peli Motto she left to search for him on Padawan reuniting with her master
(Amy Sedaris) to build himself a her own show. And after making to investigate a series of crimes,
new ship, a modified Naboo N-1 two shocking cameos in The and what they discover ends up
starfighter. Grogu, on the other Mandalorian and The Book of being more sinister than they ever
hand, has been attempting to Boba Fett, it’s entirely possible anticipated. The series started
complete his Jedi training under that Mark Hamill could be back filming in the United Kingdom in
Luke Skywalker, and opted to for another appearance as Luke late 2022, so in all likelihood it
return to the Mandalorian instead. Skywalker, since he and Ahsoka won’t debut until 2024.
Season three should consist of clearly share a deep connection.
many more adventures with these Who’s Involved: The show is
mismatched characters, and will Who’s Involved: One of the big created by Leslye Headland,
likely also feature a more thorough shockers for Star Wars fans was one of the creators of Netflix’s
backstory of the planet Mandalore, the confirmation that Hayden Russian Doll, who will be serving
as well as the Darksaber. Christensen would be starring as the showrunner and executive
in the show, most likely in producer. It stars Amandla
Who’s Involved: It’s been flashbacks to his time as a Jedi Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as
confirmed that Giancarlo Esposito Knight, and as Ahsoka’s Jedi well as the Emmy Award-winning
and Katee Sackhoff will reprise master. Eman Esfandi has been star of Netflix’s 2021 smash hit
their roles as Moff Gideon and cast as Force-sensitive Padawan Squid Game, Lee Jung-Jae. Other
Bo-Katan Kryze. Multiple outlets Ezra Bridger, who disappeared at cast members are Dafne Keen,
also confirmed that Christopher the end of Rebels, and Natasha who burst onto the scene in
Lloyd (Back to the Future) and Tim Liu Bordizzo will be playing the 2017’s Logan, as well as Jodie
Meadows (Mean Girls) will join Mandalorian hero from Rebels, Turner-Smith (The Last Ship) and
the show in unknown roles. And Sabine Wren. There’s still no Dean-Charles Chapman (1917).
it wouldn’t be a surprise to see word on who will play Thrawn, Additional executive producers
Temuera Morrison return as Boba or if his trusted, blue-skinned include Kathleen Kennedy,
Fett, with Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Imperial officer Chiss will make Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King
Shand by his side. an appearance. and Jason Micallef.
91
A DROID STORY SKELETON CREW LANDO
(Possibly 2023 on Disney+) (Possibly late 2023 on Disney+) (Most likely 2024 on Disney+)
What It’s About: While a lot of What It’s About: We know it’s What It’s About: While Solo: A
A Droid Story is still a mystery— set in the same post-Return Star Wars Story didn’t have the
it was first expected to be an of the Jedi time period as The success at the box office that
animated full-length film, but Mandalorian and other live-action some of the other Star Wars
now there’s some speculation Filoni and Favreau projects, but movies had, Donald Glover’s
it might end up as a limited Skeleton Crew is still shrouded portrayal of a young Lando
series instead—one thing that’s in mystery. One of the few things Calrissian garnered high praise.
certain: The project is going to that has been revealed about Production of the show hasn’t
revolve around some fan favorite the series is what creator Jon begun just yet, but Kennedy has
characters. At Disney’s 2020 Watts, who said they have been made it clear that they’re just
Investor Day, Lucasfilm president working on the show “for a really waiting on Glover. “He’s the one
Kennedy described A Droid Story long time,” announced at the that holds all the cards here,”
as an “epic journey [that] will 2022 Star Wars Celebration: she said in an interview with
introduce us to a new hero guided “It’s the story of four kids lost CinemaBlend.com. “But there’s
by our most iconic duo, R2-D2 in space trying to find their no movement. I will say that
and C-3PO, on a special mission way home. It stars four kids, honestly. But it’s not for lack of
known only to them.... What but it’s not a kids’ show.” It’s trying. It’s just that he’s a very
could go wrong?” Undoubtedly very possible that the group of busy guy.… He’s got another
something—but we will have to youngsters could encounter some series, and I think one other
wait to find out. For now, all we familiar faces on their journey, thing, and then he’ll come our
have is the official description including the Mandalorian (Pedro way. So patiently waiting.”
of the project, which called it an Pascal), or maybe even Ahsoka
“intersection of animation and Tano (Rosario Dawson). Kennedy Who’s Involved: Outside of
visual effects” that “offers new separately said that the show Glover, there haven’t been any
opportunities to explore.” was inspired by the ’80s movie announcements or leaks on
The Goonies. the cast. The only confirmed
Who’s Involved: There’s no member of the crew so far
word if Anthony Daniels will reprise Who’s Involved: Led by creators is Justin Simien, writer,
his role as the beloved C-3PO, Watts, who directed Spider-Man: producer and director of
but it sounds like he’d be up No Way Home, and Spider-Man: the 2014 Sundance
for it—“I’m never going to Homecoming writer Chris Ford, hit Dear White People,
retire,” he has said. One the show already has an all-star who has been tasked
of the few things that is crew. The usual suspects—Filoni, with its development.
known about the project Favreau and Kennedy—will serve
is it’s a collaboration as executive producers. While the
Lando is getting
between Lucasfilm entire cast hasn’t been revealed,
his own show, with
Animation and their the series stars Jude Law Donald Glover
visual effects team, (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets reprising his role
Industrial Light & Magic. of Dumbledore). from the film Solo.
92
O
n April 19, 2019,
Disney CEO Bob
Iger announced that
following Episode IX:
The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars
movies would be on “hiatus”
for a while. Reports have
circulated that the long gap
between films has to do with
the somewhat negative response
to the sequel trilogy. Hence
the movies need more creative
thought instead of being rushed
through some parts of the
What
filmmaking process to meet
deadlines. While that might
make for a longer wait between
films, it should provide a better
About product in the long run.

It appears that the decision
to focus on getting through the
the
creative process before making a
big announcement about what’s
to come is the main reason
no announcements about new
Movies?
films have been made recently
by Lucasfilm’s president Kathleen
Kennedy. But that doesn’t stop
fans from speculating.
One of the most popular
When will the Star Wars fan theories is that the next
franchise return to theaters? trilogy will be based in the
The answer is unclear, era of the Old Republic. Many
but some movie projects are storylines can be explored if
in development they go in that direction, since
the Old Republic and High
By Kelvin C. Bias Republic era are two massive
time periods in Star Wars lore
that haven’t yet been displayed
at all on screen. And don’t
forget the sequels, as there
are many different branches of
stories that can be explored with
characters for years to come.
There are an infinite number
of ways that filmmakers can
successfully take Star Wars back
to the big screen—here’s what
we do know about what’s next for
the franchise.
93
ROGUE SQUADRON UNTITLED TAIKA UNTITLED KEVIN
(Release date unknown) WAITITI MOVIE FEIGE MOVIE
What It’s About: When she (Possibly 2025) (Release date unknown)
announced her involvement in What It’s About: While Taika What It’s About: The mastermind
Rogue Squadron in 2020, director Waititi’s best work as a director is behind the Marvel Cinematic
Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman) arguably Thor: Ragnarok, he’s no Universe’s rise to the top is
stated one of her desires is to stranger to the Star Wars universe. getting an introduction to the
“make the greatest fighter pilot He directed “Redemption,” Star Wars universe. An expert
movie of all time.” She was the season one finale of The at weaving characters through
set to become the first woman Mandalorian, and also voiced stories, much like Jon Favreau
to direct a Star Wars film, but the assassin droid IG-11, who and Dave Filoni, Kevin Feige is
due to scheduling conflicts, the appeared in three episodes. He’ll perfectly suited for a Star Wars
project, originally scheduled to be also be returning to direct in the project. He and Kennedy will
released around Christmas 2023, show’s third season. Meanwhile, serve as producers, and the
has been put on hold. on the film side, the esteemed writer on the film is Michael
“As the daughter of a great director has some big plans. Waldron, head writer on the hit
fighter pilot myself, some of the “Look, I think for the Star Disney+ series Loki. “It’s coming
best memories of my life are Wars universe to expand, it has along,” Waldron said in May 2022
of seeing my father’s squadron to expand,” Waititi said in an of the script. “It’s fun to get to
take off in their F4s every interview with Variety. “I don’t do something that feels fresh
morning and hearing and feeling think that I’m any use in the Star and original.” As always, Disney
the awe-inspiring power and Wars universe making a film has been incredibly tight-lipped
grace,” Jenkins said in the video where everyone’s like, ‘Oh great, about the development of the
announcing her involvement. well that’s the blueprints to the film. All Feige has said is, “I love
“When he passed away in Millennium Falcon, ah, that’s that world and I love the notion
service to this country, it ignited Chewbacca’s grandmother.’ That all of exploring new people and new
a burning desire to one day stands alone, that’s great, though places in that universe. But that’s
channel all of those emotions I would like to take something new sort of all that can be said for
into one great film.” and create some new characters now.” The only hint he has given
Rogue Squadron, named and just expand the world.” about the film’s plot is that “Han
after the group of rebels that When Kennedy first presented Solo is not in it.”
obtained the Death Star plans, the project, the Star Wars logo Meanwhile, Walt Disney
is an elite group of X-Wing pilots featured a large, blocky, stone font, Studios chief creative officer
that were called in to destroy the along with cracks in the letters. Alan Horn has said that “with
original battle station. While the Some fans theorized that the logo the close of the Skywalker Saga,
group has already appeared in is a hint at the comic book series [Kennedy] is pursuing a new era
comic books, video games and Dawn of the Jedi because of an in Star Wars storytelling, and
a series of expanded universe image that resembled the Tho knowing what a die-hard fan Kevin
novels, not much else is known Yo, a large, pyramid-shaped ship is, it made sense for these two
about how they’ll be incorporated that housed the Force-sensitive extraordinary producers to work
into the greater canon. predecessors to the Jedi. on a Star Wars film together.”
94
UNTITLED RIAN UNTITLED SHAWN UNTITLED DAMON

JOHNSON TRILOGY LEVY PROJECT LINDELOF PROJECT
(Release date unknown) (Release date unknown) (Release date unknown)
What It’s About: While Rian Everything is coming up roses Another project in the very early
Johnson’s direction of The Last for Shawn Levy. He’s been stages is to be headed up by Lost
Jedi is the most controversial film tasked with directing the final co-showrunner Damon Lindelof.
among Star Wars fans, it looks two episodes of the last season According to a Deadline.com
like he’s going to get another shot of the hit Netflix series Stranger report, the “film seems to have
to tell a Star Wars story. After Things and will also take the the most momentum out of all
reports came out in 2019 that reins on the movie Deadpool 3, the films currently in development
his project was dead, Johnson which will bring Ryan Reynolds’ at the studio.” While there aren’t
tweeted, “No, it isn’t true. I’m still Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s any details about the project
working on the trilogy.” (Johnson Wolverine into the Marvel itself, reports say Lindelof will be
was collaborating with Game Cinematic Universe. After he’s co-writing alongside Justin Britt-
of Thrones showrunners David finished with that film, he’ll Gibson, whose credits include the
Benioff and D.B. Weiss, but they reportedly be moving into the FX series The Strain. Sharmeen
are no longer on the project.) Star Wars world for an unknown Obaid-Chinoy has been tabbed as
Original rumors stated that project, still in the early stages the film’s director, and while she
this trilogy was supposed to be of development. hasn’t worked on any projects
unrelated to the Skywalker Saga, Over the years, the Canadian of this size, the two episodes of
but Johnson said in early 2018 director has really made a name Disney+’s Miss Marvel that she
that he hadn’t ruled out using for himself, earning a Best Picture directed received an astounding
characters from other films. While Academy Award nomination for amount of praise from critics.
there has long been speculation the 2017 film Arrival. While he Mainly known as a
in the Star Wars community that had big hits with the Night at the documentarist, Obaid-Chinoy’s
the next trilogy would be set Museum movies, his best work is work has resulted in two Oscar
in the era of the Old Republic, arguably Stranger Things, where he wins, one for Saving Face in 2012,
about 10,000 years before the serves as an executive producer and the other for A Girl in the River:
events of A New Hope, details are and has received four Primetime The Price of Forgiveness in 2016.
still unknown. The project was Emmy Award nominations for As for Lindelof, his credentials
placed on hold due to Johnson’s Outstanding Drama Series. make him more than qualified for a
schedule, specifically with the Levy hinted at his love of Star role in the Star Wars universe. He
shooting of Glass Onion, his Wars in his recent movie The served as an executive producer
sequel to the 2019 hit Knives Out, Adam Project, in which Reynolds’ and showrunner on the 2019
which was released in November character used a weapon like a Watchmen miniseries, and has
2022. Johnson has called the lightsaber. As the director told explored adventures into outer
delay “a matter of schedule and The Hollywood Reporter, “If space as a producer on
when it can happen.” But now there was any doubt about my the 2009 movie Star Trek, as
that Glass Onion is done, it might fanhood of Star Wars and all well as acting as a writer and
not be long before Johnson’s things a galaxy far, far away, I’ve producer of its 2013 sequel, Star
trilogy is back on track. eliminated that doubt.” Trek Into Darkness.
95
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96
SPECIAL EDITION
45 TH ANNIVERSARY
THE STORY OF
STAR WARS
Forty-five years after its theatrical premiere, Star Wars remains one of the most relevant and
enduring touchstones of popular culture. No one predicted just how much George Lucas’ creation
would catch on—not even Lucas himself. Why did Star Wars become such a massive force?
Encoded in its DNA is optimistic idealism, coupled with the power of unlimited imagination—a
formidable combination, whether on Earth or in a galaxy far, far away.

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SPECIAL EDITION

Updated Special Edition

74 TODAY, TOMORROW AND BEYOND

Godard, and a variety of underground, avant-garde,

studio’s earliest projects was Lucas’ first theatrical

the overarching villain, Darkseid, was locked in an

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford (from

just a few weeks before filming began. Script

His mood did not improve after he had a

Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) gives R2-D2 the stolen

history of the movies, wrapped in a riveting tale of

Left: Ewoks capture Luke and Han in Return of the

about that, but it boiled down to the fact that he

next three because I’d already started them, but

The Star Wars sequel trilogy introduced new heroes

EPISODE IV: vessel passing overhead as it (voiced by James Earl Jones),

May 19, 1980 May 23, 1983

April 26, 1999 May 31, 1999

April 29, 2002 May 9, 2005

Dec. 14, 2015 Dec. 14, 2015

“I remember joking with George [Lucas], ‘You

The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, a

Clockwise from left: Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard

A scene from the Disney+ show Andor, starring Diego Luna as

THE MANDALORIAN, AHSOKA THE ACOLYTE

About product in the long run.

UNTITLED RIAN UNTITLED SHAWN UNTITLED DAMON

The Story Back Cover

CEO, President Steven Kotok Introduction Sidey/Mirrorpix/Getty Images 58 Ralph Morse/

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