Does Lucas resent Star Wars?

[ChrisIII]

I think in part, the sale might've been prompted by some problems Lucasfilm was having at the time-"Phantom Menace 3D" and "Red Tails" flopped pretty badly, and there were some signs that the fan negativity towards him was taking a bit of a toll. Earlier that year, when asked about making more SW films, he stated "Why would I make any more, when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?"

[Cel]

I seriously doubt that Lucas resents Star Wars--I've read more than a couple of old interviews in which he referred to it as his baby--but he wasn't a fan of some things that came with it, namely the business aspect (originally an indie filmmaker, the last thing Lucas wanted to do was become the head of a multibillion corporation) as well as constantly hearing how much he sucked on the internet. Sure, there may have been some things Lucas would have done differently had he been in charge of Episode VII, but isn't that true of most of us?

[Za Waldo]

I doubt he does; guy got to help his hero Kurosawa make a movie because of it, and used his pull to do stuff like Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters that likely would never have been made without him. There was always that thing before the prequels where there was talk about the weird **** he wanted to do, but couldn't because of Star Wars; but I'm not really sure how Star Wars stopped him for doing that. If anything it should have given him the freedom to do it.

[Za Waldo]

I seriously doubt that Lucas resents Star Wars--I've read more than a couple of old interviews in which he referred to it as his baby--but he wasn't a fan of some things that came with it, namely the business aspect (originally an indie filmmaker, the last thing Lucas wanted to do was become the head of a multibillion corporation) as well as constantly hearing how much he sucked on the internet. Sure, there may have been some things Lucas would have done differently had he been in charge of Episode VII, but isn't that true of most of us?

He must not have cared all that much about what people thought of the prequels, it didn't stop him from directing the next two. I do get the feeling though, that he had delusions of grandeur on what the reception to him returning to directing would be after having been gone for 22 years; and with a new Star Wars no less.

[Darrin Kelley]

I think he resents the fans. Who just didn't follow him lock-step. And rejected his prequels.

[WebLurker]

I think he resents the fans. Who just didn't follow him lock-step. And rejected his prequels.

I don't know about that. A lot of fans who dislike the prequels are real jerks about it and do make personal attacks on Lucas over it. I mean, it's one thing to not like a movie you made, but if your so-called fans are calling for your head over it, I'd get fed up over it too.

(For what it's worth, Lucas was looking forward to seeing Force Awakens -- albeit not enjoying the final film, which is totally fair -- and did buy the original artwork from Marvel's Han Solo miniseries comic, so I doubt the guy hates his franchise.)

[Buried Alien]

I don't know about that. A lot of fans who dislike the prequels are real jerks about it and do make personal attacks on Lucas over it. I mean, it's one thing to not like a movie you made, but if your so-called fans are calling for your head over it, I'd get fed up over it too.

(For what it's worth, Lucas was looking forward to seeing Force Awakens -- albeit not enjoying the final film, which is totally fair -- and did buy the original artwork from Marvel's Han Solo miniseries comic, so I doubt the guy hates his franchise.)

I wonder if he'll like THE LAST JEDI more. Different director, different movie.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Za Waldo]

I wonder if he'll like THE LAST JEDI more. Different director, different movie.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

I want to say I saw that he liked the last one.

[WillieMorgan]

I don't think so; he did go on record that he was disappointed with the movie so he clearly isn't worried about saying his mind about it.

George Lucas was actually interviewed on the red carpet at the 'Force Awakens' premiere here in London for Sky TV. He said that it wasn't the Star Wars film that he'd have made, if he'd still owned the rights. I can imagine that many other UK based SW fans also let out the enormous sigh of relief that I did when I heard that. And this is coming from someone that found Episode 7 so-so.

I think the problem George Lucas has with SW is that his vision of the universe doesn't tally with that of many of the fans. He seemed genuinely hurt by the response and criticism that the Prequel Trilogy rightly earned in some quarters.

[WebLurker]

George Lucas was actually interviewed on the red carpet at the 'Force Awakens' premiere here in London for Sky TV. He said that it wasn't the Star Wars film that he'd have made, if he'd still owned the rights. I can imagine that many other UK based SW fans also let out the enormous sigh of relief that I did when I heard that. And this is coming from someone that found Episode 7 so-so.

Yeah. Well, it is what it is.

I think the problem George Lucas has with SW is that his vision of the universe doesn't tally with that of many of the fans. He seemed genuinely hurt by the response and criticism that the Prequel Trilogy rightly earned in some quarters.

Most fans, from what I've seen, make it personal, so it's less about explaining the problems to attacking Lucas personally.

[WillieMorgan]

Most fans, from what I've seen, make it personal, so it's less about explaining the problems to attacking Lucas personally.

Oh, don't get me wrong. There's no justification for that kind of behaviour in the slightest. This is the man that gave SW to the world in the first place. We are all forever in his debt.

There's no escaping the fact though that many fans found the prequels lacking for very good reasons. To many people, myself included, they simply aren't good films. Part of the problem with them is that they highlight the disconnect between Lucas' vision of what SW should be and what the fans expected from them, and I think Lucas found that hard to take.

[ChrisIII]

I've heard he was actually very fond of "Rogue One", at least according to the director who Lucas called.

As for the criticism of the prequels, there's some evidence that he took part of it to heart while filming AOTC and ROTS; he cut back on Jar-Jar a great deal (and even briefly entertained the idea of him having learned perfect english and a somewhat more sophisticated attitude while on Coruscant in an earlier draft of the script, with the ocassional lapses into his old dialect) and had script doctors/co-writers (Johnathan Hales and Tom Stoppard).

[Cel]

He must not have cared all that much about what people thought of the prequels, it didn't stop him from directing the next two. I do get the feeling though, that he had delusions of grandeur on what the reception to him returning to directing would be after having been gone for 22 years; and with a new Star Wars no less.

Lucas didn't have delusions of grandeur regarding to how people might receive his return to directing. He returned to directing simply because he wanted to and because he could. He may not have anticipated how vicious some people can be on internet message boards, though, but that's true of anyone who enters the public eye (either willingly or unwillingly). Still, I doubt the internet negativity was enough to make Lucas now hate Star Wars.

[Rapha8]

He should resent the clone wars.

How can Anakin had a Padawan if he isn't a Master? Only a Master can have a padawan...and Jedi Council deny Anakin the rank of Master.
Also,the Jedi Council deny Qui-Gon Jinn permission to train Anakin cause Obi-Wan was his padawan (and the Jedi code forbid a Master to have two). So, give Anakin a padawan in the Clone Wars is a problem.

[WebLurker]

He should resent the clone wars.

Why? Lucas was involved with it and by all accounts had no problems with it.

How can Anakin had a Padawan if he isn't a Master? Only a Master can have a padawan...and Jedi Council deny Anakin the rank of Master.

A Jedi doesn't need to be a master to have a Padawan. We saw that in the movies; Obi-Wan Kenobi took Anakin on as a Padawan in TMP despite having only just received the rank of Jedi Knight and not being made a Master.

Also,the Jedi Council deny Qui-Gon Jinn permission to train Anakin cause Obi-Wan was his padawan (and the Jedi code forbid a Master to have two). So, give Anakin a padawan in the Clone Wars is a problem.

How's that an issue? Anakin never took on two padawans at a time, just one.