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When Steven Spielberg Opened Up About George Lucas Not Allowing Him to Direct A Star Wars Film
Rumors have persisted for years about Steven Spielberg's near-miss with directing Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. However, George Lucas was understandably protective of his creation,
The friendship between Steven Spielberg and George Lukas is certainly one of the most celebrated in Hollywood—not just for its personal depth but also for the professional impact it has had. They collectively redefined the term 'summer blockbuster.' It was Spielberg who got things started in 1975 with the release of Jaws, really mapping out the modern blockbuster, while George Lucas followed two years later with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
Their teamwork not only heralded a new beginning in cinema history but also established their positions as the titans of the industry. Arguably, their most famous collaboration was the Indiana Jones franchise, in which Lucas took the role of producer and worked on the story, while Spielberg directed the first four films. This really sealed, to a great extent, the pairing of their brands together, intertwining their names in history.
Of all the many they have done together, one fanboy dream seems to persist: that Spielberg was once close to helming a Star Wars film himself—Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, to be exact. That never happened, but it only goes to show how deep of a relationship these two filmmakers really share that such a rumor ever existed in the first place.
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Spielberg and Lucas have been lifelong friends who, at the very core, are characterized by mutual respect and admiration. Spielberg was among the very few to have faith in the success of Star Wars even before it turned out to be such a cultural phenomenon. He has been involved with all of the Star Wars films, never in a directing capacity, but his involvement is very notable.
He unofficially contributed to Revenge of the Sith and was on set every day, thus in a unique position to praise and provide feedback to Lucas. Despite being so heavily involved, Spielberg never took the reins on a Star Wars film. This would continue to puzzle fans and film historians alike.
In this same 2012 interview, Spielberg openly acknowledged that he wanted to direct a Star Wars movie. “I've asked [Lucas]. He won’t let me do one," he reportedly said, acknowledging that he had wanted to direct one of the films about 15 years earlier. But Lucas was insistent that Star Wars remained his domain.
"It's his cottage industry and it's his fingerprints," Spielberg noted, understanding Lucas' reluctance to share his creation, despite his own success with Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
What might have been?
It may have been a result of a need for Lucas to retain creative control over his creation and for his vision to be pure, without the added input of another powerhouse director. Indeed, Spielberg is often considered the more successful filmmaker, in terms of both box office success and critical success, but Lucas' Star Wars is a truly singular work in cinema, one which he may not have wanted to sacrifice.
That Spielberg might have helmed a Star Wars film is one of the great "what ifs" of cinema history. Though classic in its own right, Return of the Jedi somehow manages under the direction of Richard Marquand, it is hard not to wonder what a Star Wars would have looked like under Spielberg's firm guidance. Many believe that Spielberg's storytelling, character development, and dialogue skills might have elevated the movie to new heights, possibly even making it the saga's masterpiece.
Such speculation ultimately is, however, immaterial. It certainly is true that the Lucas-Spielberg collaboration did result in successful films, but it also spawned frustrations, as demonstrated with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. There was no guarantee that a Spielberg-directed Star Wars film would have been without its flaws either. That close association of the two filmmakers with the fact that Spielberg himself never helmed a film in a franchise that was seemingly tailor-made for his talents makes this feel like a missed opportunity.
Even with Star Wars remaining ever-present in popular culture to this day, there's always a chance Spielberg could yet get the opportunity to leave his stamp on the galaxy far, far away. However, these rumors persisted because of this great friendship shared by these two legends is what holds on to the hope of a Spielberg-helmed Star Wars film all these years later.
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