Star Wars Is Finally Listening To George Lucas’ Biggest Force Awakens Criticism

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A decade after the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm appears to be addressing George Lucas’s main concern about the film. While he initially didn’t express his disapproval strongly, George Lucas was actually disappointed with The Force Awakens. Disney CEO Bob Iger recounts in his memoir, The Ride of a Lifetime, that Lucas felt the plot wasn’t original and lacked significant advancements in visuals or technology.

As Iger explained, Disney intentionally aimed to create a Star Wars film that felt true to the original movies. They were under pressure to deliver something familiar – visually and in terms of its overall feel – and avoid straying too far from what fans loved. Ironically, George Lucas criticized them for doing exactly that! However, Star Wars is now finally taking Lucas’ initial feedback about The Force Awakens to heart.

Star Wars Has Dined Out on Nostalgia

With The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm intentionally tapped into fans’ fondness for the original Star Wars film, mirroring its themes, feel, and look. However, they mistakenly believed the movie’s huge $2.07 billion success meant fans only wanted more of the same. Over time, this focus on nostalgia has become the defining characteristic of Star Wars. Unfortunately, this has also created a fanbase that often expects—and sometimes even demands—familiarity, and can be critical of anything that tries to be different or innovative.

Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte, a TV show set in the High Republic era, wasn’t without its problems – the story felt a bit disorganized, and some characters didn’t get the development they deserved. However, the negative reaction from fans seemed disproportionately strong, likely because the show attempted something new and different. Headland recently spoke about the show’s cancellation, comparing it to being the first to face a difficult challenge, saying, “It’s the old adage of the first one through the wall is the bloodiest.”

Looking back at the past can be helpful, but relying on it too much is a mistake. Recent Star Wars TV shows haven’t been as successful as they once were, with Andor being a notable exception. While there’s been too much Star Wars content released lately, the bigger issue is that simply revisiting old favorites can only take the franchise so far. It’s becoming clear that Star Wars is now running on empty, fueled only by nostalgia rather than fresh ideas.

Star Wars’ Upcoming Movies Have Learned George Lucas’ Lesson

Since the release of The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, Star Wars storytelling has primarily focused on television. However, Lucasfilm is now bringing the franchise back to the big screen, starting with The Mandalorian and Grogu next year. In addition, director Shawn Levy is currently filming a new Star Wars film to commemorate the 50th anniversary of A New Hope in 2027. Levy has hinted that this movie, currently titled Star Wars: Starfighter, will be unlike anything fans have seen before.

I remember Kathy calling me in August 2022 and asking me to direct a Star Wars film. I immediately asked whether it would be a prequel or sequel, wanting to know which era it would fit into. She told me I had complete creative freedom – I could choose the writer, develop the story, and essentially make an original Star Wars movie with my own unique style.

The only direction we received was to create something fresh and new for Star Wars. And that’s exactly what we did with Starfighter. It features entirely original characters and ideas developed by Jonathan Tropper and myself, set in a time period never before explored in a Star Wars film – it’s not connected to any existing characters or stories.

Those three words – “Make this new” – carry a lot of weight for a franchise so often looking back at its past. After a decade, it feels like a direct answer to George Lucas’s concerns about The Force Awakens. He had been disappointed that the film, which established the direction for Disney’s Star Wars movies, didn’t offer anything truly original. It’s taken Lucasfilm ten years, and a lot of mistakes along the way, but they’re finally attempting to create something fresh.

Look, I get it – the Star Wars fanbase can be…intense. There’s always a chance a new direction, like this Starfighter project, won’t be embraced. But honestly, the recent shows haven’t been setting the world on fire, which tells me even longtime fans might be getting tired of the same old thing. That actually puts Starfighter in a good spot! It could appeal to a wider audience – people who haven’t been watching on Disney+ or even following The Mandalorian and Grogu. Sure, it’s a gamble, but I think it’s a risk worth taking, and frankly, it feels like the only way to keep Star Wars fresh and exciting.

Star Wars has been running on fumes for too long. It’s time to put some gas in the engine.

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2025-11-30 01:43