Dune Director Shoots Down Hopes of Star Wars Movie, Says Series “Derailed” With Fan-Favorite Sequel

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As a child of the ’70s and ’80s, I can deeply relate to Denis Villeneuve’s sentiments towards Star Wars. Like many of my generation, I was captivated by the original trilogy, eagerly awaiting each new installment with bated breath. The Empire Strikes Back remains one of my all-time favorite movies, a masterpiece that left an indelible mark on my young mind.

Denis Villeneuve is unlikely to join the Star Wars franchise for now. The director has often been queried about it given the success of his Dune adaptation. But in a recent chat on The Town podcast, he revealed that his issues with Star Wars date back to Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.

1967 marked the year Villeneuve was born, and regarding “Episode IV – A New Hope”, he reminisced: “Being 10 years old at the time, it resonated deeply with me. It felt like a swift strike to my consciousness. I developed an intense fascination for Star Wars. To put it simply, The Empire Strikes Back was the film I looked forward to the most throughout my life. I watched it countless times on-screen. The emotional impact of The Empire Strikes Back left its mark on me. I hold Star Wars in high regard.

Back in the day, six years after the fact, I, a die-hard Star Wars fan, found myself disillusioned by the finale of the original trilogy. Reflecting on it now, I can pinpoint exactly where things went awry – that was 1983 with “Return of the Jedi”. It’s a long yarn, but let me tell you, I was 15 and my buddy and I were so incensed by it all that we even contemplated hopping in a cab and heading to L.A., just to give George Lucas a piece of our minds! To this day, those Ewoks still grind my gears. They transformed what could have been an epic saga into a kiddie comedy.

At the age of 57, Villeneuve expressed some thoughtful criticisms beyond just disliking Ewoks. He stated: “Star Wars has become rigidly entrenched in its own mythology, quite dogmatic; it seemed like a formula, with no more room for surprises. Consequently, I don’t yearn to make a Star Wars film because it feels like the script is already written and set in stone.

Villeneuve is Not Alone

It appears that the latest criticisms extend beyond “Return of the Jedi” to later films, especially the sequel trilogy. For instance, “The Force Awakens” was heavily criticized for its strong resemblance to “A New Hope,” and this issue intensified in “Rise of Skywalker,” where viewers questioned how the same villain could have spanned all three trilogies. Interestingly, even “Return of the Jedi” had similar concerns as it featured another Death Star with the same vulnerable spot as the original one.

[RELATED: Dune Prophecy Starts with a Subtle Reference to God Emperor of Dune You May Have Missed]

Director Denis Villeneuve has left a significant impact on the space opera genre within sci-fi, particularly with his work on “Dune” – a major inspiration for George Lucas in creating “Star Wars.” With Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” currently being brilliantly adapted into two seasons on Apple TV+, this is an exciting moment for “Star Wars” enthusiasts to explore the genre further. Meanwhile, the “Star Wars” universe will continue without Villeneuve, as there are at least nine movies in development at present. Fans can catch up with previous entries now on Disney+.

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2024-11-28 00:41