George Lucas Reflects on Star Wars Legacy and Disney's Expansion of the Franchise

George Lucas has expressed that a significant portion of his vision for the original Star Wars saga was not retained following his deal with Disney, leading to the loss of many foundational elements that characterized the series. According to Lucas, during a conversation with the French media outlet Brut at the Cannes Film Festival, he felt that he was the custodian of the Star Wars universe, having an intimate understanding of its intricacies, such as the Force, which others failed to grasp. Post-sale, as Disney embarked on developing new additions to the franchise, Lucas observed that the essence of his initial concepts often went unrecognized. However, he acknowledged the inevitability of such changes upon relinquishing control.

The transfer of Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, in a transaction valued at $4.05 billion, marked a pivotal turn for the franchise. Until then, 20th Century Fox had distributed the first six films of the series, a role Disney took over in 2019 with its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Under Disney's stewardship, the universe expanded to include new films such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Additionally, the franchise ventured into live-action television with series like The Mandalorian initiating the rollout in 2019, followed by The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and Ahsoka, along with upcoming titles The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew slated for release on Disney Plus in 2024.

Among the diverse new entries, Obi-Wan Kenobi has garnered special attention from Lucas. This affection stems from the show’s ability to reflect and celebrate the narrative and stylistic choices Lucas himself made in the prequels. This sentiment was shared by Lucasfilm’s creative executive Pablo Hidalgo, highlighting Lucas’s partiality towards projects that resonate with his original vision. For aficionados looking forward to exploring more of the Star Wars universe, a comprehensive list of forthcoming movies and series reveals what’s on the horizon.