George Lucas finally speaks up on why he left the "Star Wars" franchise. However, Lucasfilm and J.J. Abrams are now handling the franchise Lucas created, the director claims that he is still very protective of it.
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Lucas gives the real reason he gave up directing the famous "Star Wars" franchise, citing the inability to experiment as the reason. Lucas explained that directing the movie, contrary to what many expected, was "not much fun." All he ended up with after directing the first movies of the saga was to "get criticized."
Still, the director does not have ill feelings toward the world-famous franchise. In the video from Vanity Fair's New Establishment Summit, Lucas is very game to answer questions with regard "Star Wars." He also shared that he is keen on finding out what would happen to Darth Vader's grandchildren. He also explicitly shared why he is still enamored with the franchise and what he thinks the franchise's future direction should be. He hopes that the franchise would not "get muddled into a bunch of gobbledygook."
Lawrence Kasdan, another writer-director who has been, and is still is, one of the people who most established what "Star Wars" is today, spoke up about the franchise and how important Lucas is to the saga. Speaking with Wired, Kasdan detailed how it was working with Lucas, especially in the first years of the franchise. For him, it was both an exciting and stressful time, which is why he has a high respect for what Lucas achieved.
"It was very exciting, and since it was so fast, the pressure was so great, there's nothing more exhilarating," he shared. "He used his own money to make Empire. That's unheard of, and it added an enormous amount of pressure to the enterprise," he added.
Kasdan added that working with Lucas was a fun experience, describing the director was "one of the funniest, fun, light-hearted" people he knew. He also praised Lucas' insights of "Star Wars" potential, which not everyone saw at the time. "Everyone had said Star Wars was a terrible idea when he proposed it, and then he was completely vindicated," Kasdan detailed.
On his interview, Kasdan, like Lucas, shared why the "Star Wars" saga is such a breakthrough for them. For Kasdan, the saga was a revelation for him and the fans.
"Force Awakens, New Hope, Empire--these are movies about fulfilling what is inside you. That's a story that everybody can relate to. Even when you get to be my age, you're still trying to figure that out. It's amazing, but it's true. What am I, what am I about, have a fulfilled my potential, and, if not, is there still time? That's what the Star Wars saga is about," he shared.
