No one enjoys spoilers, especially when they’re revealed years before a film or show’s release. However, it took an extreme turn in the case of George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise, with the revelation of one of the most significant spoilers led to a prolonged estrangement between the filmmaker and David Prowse, the actor behind the iconic antagonist, Darth Vader.
Prowse would go on to reprise the role in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, after A New Hope. However, the late actor found himself banned from film sets and all Star Wars events after Lucas found out about Prowse’s inadvertent divulgence of major plot details surrounding the beloved sci-fi saga.
David Prowse’s The Empire Strikes Back Spoiler Sparked Studio Panic
Following its debut in 1977, Star Wars quickly became a cultural phenomenon, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next installment in the Skywalker Saga. Amidst the fervent speculation surrounding the franchise, David Prowse, known for his portrayal of Darth Vader, made a startling revelation.
In a 1978 interview, the actor shared plans for a sequel and a threequel in the franchise along with dropping a bombshell revelation. “Father can’t kill son, son can’t kill father,” he said as he revealed that Skywalker learns Darth Vader is his long lost father in a “do-or-die light saber duel” in the sequel.
The revelation didn’t significantly impact the film, possibly due to the absence of widespread internet access at the time and The Empire Strikes Back proceeded smoothly. The actor later claimed that it was nothing more than a lucky guess, as the film’s script was not even written at the time of his interview.
However, the studio took drastic measures to prevent further leaks. As per Dan of Geek, to avoid any potential spoilers or leaks, the cast was given a specific part of the script, and the actors, who were suspected of being sources of information leaks, were given fake scripts.
Despite efforts to maintain secrecy, another major spoiler from Return of the Jedi was made. And it eventually strained David Prowse’s relationship with the franchise and George Lucas, even prompting a ban on Star Wars events.
George Lucas Banned David Prowse Following Another Leak
Nearly one year ahead of its release, a news report revealed that the Star Wars antagonist Darth Vader would meet his demise in Return of the Jedi. Despite all the measures taken by George Lucas and the studio, the big spoiler was out and the blame went to David Prowse.
Regarding the leak, Prowse recounted receiving a call from a journalist inquiring about Darth Vader’s fate and the possibility of him being replaced by Sebastian Shaw. He shared, via Dan of Geek
“I said, “They wouldn’t do that – they wouldn’t go and unmask somebody else after I’ve played the part for six years.’ He asked if I had a call sheet, and he looked at it and it said: ‘Dave Prowse, Darth Vader, Studio 1,’ and underneath it “‘Sebastian Shaw, Anakin Skywalker, Studio 10.'”
It was followed by reports of Darth Vader’s demise, which ruined Prowse’s “association with Star Wars.” He shared that he was “ostracized” during the production of the film, with George Lucas refusing to speak with him and eventually losing contact altogether. In 2010, Prowse found himself banned from Star Wars conventions.
However, there have been claims that Prowse was not the source behind the leak. Prowse maintained his stance, asserting that he learned of the spoiler from the reporter’s call and was devastated by the news. Despite their reported feud, Lucas paid tribute to Prowse when he passed away in 2020, acknowledging his significant contribution to the iconic franchise.
The Star Wars original trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.
