George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels received a bad rep when they were first released in theaters. The films told the backstory of Darth Vader, following his journey as Jedi Anakin Skywalker and his eventual fall to the dark side. Actor Hayden Christensen played the role of Anakin Skywalker and received plenty of hate for his performance.
In recent times, fans have developed a newfound appreciation for the prequels. Moreover, Christensen returned to the galaxy far, far away, and was welcomed by fans with open arms. As a result, fans have agreed that Christensen was never the issue and blamed Lucas for the terrible reactions the actor received in the past, and here is what they had to say.
Star Wars Fans Realize George Lucas Was the Reason They Hated Hayden Christensen
George Lucas returned to the Star Wars franchise after a gap of nearly sixteen years with 1999’s The Phantom Menace, which introduced viewers to a young Anakin Skywalker. Actor Hayden Christensen played the adult version in the second and third installments of the trilogy.
Upon release, both installments received mixed reviews, with Christensen’s performance particularly receiving negative reactions from critics and fans. On Reddit, fans recently reflected on Christensen’s acting in the prequels and blamed Lucas for its drawbacks.
From the comments, it is evident that fans feel Lucas’ poorly written dialogs were the primary reason Christensen’s performance was so hated. The scenes usually singled out for Christensen’s poor acting have been largely ridiculed for their dialogs.
Moreover, fans also noted how the actor’s performance was much better in Revenge of the Sith. While some fans argued that this revisionism of Christensen’s poor performance wasn’t warranted many argued that he was always a good actor and suffered because of Lucas’ poor direction.
Hayden Christensen Eager For More Darth Vader After Star Wars Return
Hayden Christensen reprised the role of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader first for the Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries and later in episodes of Ahsoka. The actor’s return to the franchise was celebrated among the fanbase who had developed an appreciation for his performance in the prequels.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Christensen expressed gratitude for the positive fan reception of his Star Wars return. At the same time, the actor revealed he was interested in continuing to play the role of Darth Vader in future installments.
I would love to get to do more, and I’d love to get to continue with Star Wars and we’ll see. I don’t know what the future holds, and if such an opportunity presents itself, I’ll be there with a big smile on my face.
Christensen made the above statement, confirming that he would be game for more appearances in the future. However, the actor admitted he’d be equally happy to end his time in the franchise on a high note with the recent appearances.
Ultimately, Christensen’s return to the franchise and the positive fan reaction to it further prove that the actor was done dirty by Lucas’ poor dialog writing during the prequels. Therefore, it is refreshing to see the actor receive appreciation after being the subject of hate from fans for years.
The Star Wars movies and TV shows are streaming on Disney+.
