Richard Marquand helmed the final installment in the original Star Wars trilogy of movies. The filmmaker directed Return of the Jedi, which concluded the story set up by George Lucas in 1977’s A New Hope, with Luke’s fight against the Empire reaching its climax. However, Marquand admitted in an interview that his movie was better than Lucas’ original in one aspect.
During an interview, Marquand was asked about directing the final installment in the original trilogy. At the time, the filmmaker revealed how he approached the movie, making it more emotionally mature compared to some of the earlier installments. Therefore, Marquand felt that Return of the Jedi was better than the original film, and here is what he had to say.
Director Richard Marquand Revealed How Return of the Jedi Was Better Than Other Star Wars Movies
Richard Marquand was hired to direct Return of the Jedi, the final installment in the original Star Wars trilogy. The filmmaker sadly passed away a few years after the film’s release, but an archived interview later resurfaced via Den of Geek.
During the interview, Marquand was asked about what he contributed to the film that the previous two installments lacked. In response, Marquand revealed that while his movie appealed to younger audiences, he was also able to give young adults what they wanted.
I was able to bring to the Star Wars saga, which the other directors couldn’t since they were dealing with a younger generation, was a certain kind of modern maturity.
Marquand made the above statement, explaining that since George Lucas launched the franchise in 1977, the children who watched the movie had grown up to become young adults.
Furthermore, Marquand added that in the original movie, Lucas was restrained by a desire to appeal to a wider audience. However, Marquand had free rein to add a level of emotional maturity along with excitement and showmanship, which appealed to the young adults, making his movie superior in that regard.
Richard Marquand Talked the Challenge of Ending the Original Star Wars Trilogy
During the same interview, Marquand was also asked about being tasked to direct the final installment of the original trilogy. As a result, Marquand had to face the challenge of living up to the reputation of the previous two installments while also ensuring the storyline reached a satisfying conclusion.
So, obviously, you’re scared, but fear is a very necessary part of what you do.
Marquand made the above statement, admitting that he was initially scared about directing the movie, primarily because he admired Lucas and was a fan of the original Star Wars movie.
However, the filmmaker also explained that he got over the fear as he realized he wouldn’t get another chance at helming a movie set in the galaxy, far, far away. As a result, Marquand eventually felt confident in his abilities to helm the film, with Return of the Jedi being considered one of the best entries in the film series.
Return of the Jedi and other Star Wars movies are streaming on Disney+.
