“Why Couldn’t They Think Of Something More Interesting Than That?”: George Lucas’ Withering Assessment Of Return Of The Jedi

Although Return of the Jedi is a worldwide phenomenon now, one quote from George Lucas prior to the film’s original release indicates that the Star Wars creator was initially critical of the plotline and concerned about fan reception. Return of the Jedi, the final installment of the Star Wars franchise’s original trilogy, had a significant hill to climb to wrap up the trilogy’s overarching plot and various associated crises. Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia still had yet to overthrow the Empire, and, at the beginning of Return of the Jedi, the trio is separated, facing certain death.

That premise left innumerable paths forward, and, given the precedent Star Wars had set with innovations and massive plot twists, expectations were high. However, in Mark Clark’s book, Star Wars FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Trilogy That Changed the Movies, Clark points to an interview George Lucas carried out with Starlog Magazine ahead of the movie’s release. There, Lucas offers a shocking criticism of his own movie.

“When [Return of the Jedi] comes out, people will say, ‘Oh, my God. How obvious! Why couldn’t they think of something more interesting than that?'”

As Lucas explained, Star Wars had started out as a fairy story, and that was the way he chose to end it – even if there were other, more interesting, options.

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REVENGE Of The Jedi’s Title Revealed Anakin’s Biggest Flaw (Before The Prequels)

Return of the Jedi’s original title, Revenge of the Jedi, highlights one of the biggest flaws of Anakin Skywalker before even the prequels did.

Return Of The Jedi Ditched So Many Powerful Ideas

Criticizing the trilogy that started it all is difficult, but Return of the Jedi undoubtedly made changes that took away some exciting plot points bounced around in earlier iterations of the script. The film’s original title, Revenge of the Jedi, suggests just how significant some of those changes could have been. One of the most intriguing discarded plot points — which was partially recycled in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker when Rey hears the voices of the Jedi before her — was the aid of Force ghosts. In an earlier version of the movie, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda would have helped Luke defeat Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, with Obi-Wan returning from the dead and Yoda fighting through the Force.

Return of the Jedi underwent other changes, too, including cutting Lucas’ plan for two Death Stars, which left the final version of the film feeling a bit more familiar. This familiarity (rather than ingenuity) of Return of the Jedi is precisely what concerned Lucas, but it’s tough to say whether he would still stand by what he said in that interview prior to the release of Return of the Jedi. Star Wars has taken so many turns since then, and many of the events in Return of the Jedi set up the plot of the prequel trilogy. Even so, it would have been a thrill to see a Revenge of the Jedi film that completely subverted expectations.