George Lucas, who established the Star Wars franchise with iconic films like A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, has not been directly involved with the film series for over a decade. However, it has not refrained him from sharing his views, as the filmmaker openly expressed his disappointment with the lack of originality in the 2015 film The Force Awakens.
However, there are still some projects that have not only captured his attention but have also received praise from the renowned filmmaker, such as the 2016 film Rogue One, as the screenwriter Tony Gilroy shared that Lucas had a lot of things to say about the film.
George Lucas Highly Praised Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Although George Lucas took his leave from the Star Wars franchise in 2012, it has definitely not stopped him from voicing his opinion about the following projects. While he has expressed his disappointment with Disney’s creative choices, Gareth Edwards’ 2016 film did receive praise from the filmmaker.
In an interview with Deadline, Tony Gilroy recalled receiving a surprise call from Lucas following the film’s release. “It was like a call from the president,” he recalled, as he explained that the Star Wars creator loved the film and had a lot to say about it. He said, as per ScreenRant,
“George Lucas called me after Rogue, I had a 45-minute conversation with him after he saw Rogue, and that’s the only time I’ve ever spoken to him. He loved it. He really did. He had a lot of things to say.”
The film, set as an immediate prequel to the 1977 movie, follows a group of rebels who seek to steal plans for Death Star. It was a huge hit, making $1 billion at the box office and earning two Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards.
The filmmaker’s likeness for the 2016 movie could be attributed to multiple factors. Lucas was disappointed with The Force Awakens, particularly due to its lack of originality. However, Rogue One not only honored the original Star Wars movies but also offered a fresh take on the epic space opera.
Rogue One Paved the Way For One of the Best Star Wars Show
Following its success, the studio announced a spin-off series, Andor. Diego Luna, who played the character in Rogue One, reprised his role in the Disney+ show, which has since been hailed as one of the best TV shows in the franchise.
Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote the 2016 film alongside Chris Weitz, returned to the franchise as the creator of Andor. Set five years before the events of Rogue One and A New Hope, Andor follows the formative years of Cassian Andor while exploring how the Rebel Alliance was formed.
Talking about the second season of the show, Gilroy recently shared,
“I’ve been on Andor for five years now. We’re finishing the second half. I’ve had a lot of fun over the years. But I don’t know whether I’ve ever done anything as important as these 24 hours of storytelling that we’re doing now.”
Andor Season 2 was initially set to premiere in August 2024. However, it was delayed due to production setbacks caused by the 2023 writers and actor strikes. While no specific release date for the show is available yet Season 2 is expected to release in 2025.
Rogue One and Andor are available to stream on Disney+.
