The Star Wars franchise is a beloved piece of film history, with entire generations brought up on George Lucas' colorful galaxy far, far away. The nine-film Skywalker Saga was released across separate decades, with most of the original installments directed by Lucas himself. And while their legacy is secure, the visionary filmmaker did recently speak to the "corny" nature of some prequel dialogue.
The Star Wars prequels revealed Darth Vader's backstory, including his romantic relationship with Padme Amidala. This union would eventually create franchise heroes Luke and Leia, but the dialogue uttered by Hayden Christiensen has been the butt of countless jokes throughout the years. George Lucas recently admitted some of the lines were "corny", while going on to explain the heightened nature of the franchise in general. As Lucas put it,
It is presented very honestly, it isn't tongue-in-cheek at all, and it's played to the hilt. But it is consistent, not only with the rest of the movie, but with the overall Star Wars style. Most people don't understand the style of Star Wars. They don't get that there's an underlying motif that is very much like a 1930s Western or Saturday matinee serial. It's in the more romantic period of making movies and adventure films. And this film is even more of a melodrama than the others.
Touche. George Lucas obviously knows Star Wars better than anyone, as he's the one who created the beloved franchise and its iconic planets, creatures, and characters. And rather than a gritty, realistic world, the franchise is melodramatic, while also being family-friendly and featuring romance. Although Lucas did relent that Attack of the Clones was particularly over the top at points.
George Lucas' comments come from The Star Wars Archives. 1999–2005 (via Syfy Wire) and show how George Lucas ultimately views the beloved property that he created back with A New Hope. While the property means so much to the fandom, it's Lucas never intended for it to be a perfect adult drama. And when it comes to the prequels, we saw the filmmaker lean into melodrama as well as comedic beats.
The Skywalker Saga is currently available in its entirety on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Hayden Christiensen had a daunting task for his Star Wars role as Anakin Skywalker. After all, he played a younger version of the most iconic character in the franchise's history: Darth Vader. But some of his dialogue has become quotable for all the wrong reasons, including his bit about hating sand. But as George Lucas points out, the melodrama is purposeful and part of the heightened tone of the property.
While George Lucas obviously has strong feelings about what Star Wars is all about, he ultimately hasn't been very involved in the franchise's life for a number of years. Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney years ago, with Kathleen Kennedy and the House of Mouse moving forward with a variety of projects set within the beloved galaxy. This includes the sequel trilogy, standalone movies, and live-action shows like The Mandalorian.
George Lucas' participation in the Star Wars book has led the visionary director to opening up about his decision to sell Lucasfilm. While it was a choice that allowed him to spend time with his family and step away from the arduous work of producing the sequels, the also wasn't able to craft the ending to the nine-film Skywalker Saga. And he no doubt had some big plans for the galaxy far, far away.
The Mandalorian is currently streaming new episodes on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.
