Back when the Star Wars saga was still in the middle of establishing itself as the herald of artistic greatness, creator George Lucas released the ill-fated prequel trilogy to help audiences understand the lore better. Although the film series was destined to an abrasive fate, it would come to be loved and celebrated by the fandom much like the original trilogy, albeit decades later.
But as it turns out, fans weren’t the only ones with grimaces on their faces when the prequel series was brought to life. Even Steven Spielberg found himself scowling at the idea, or at a part of it, to be more precise.
Steven Spielberg’s Bitter Reaction to the Battle Droids
One of the most talented (and the most bankable) faces of Hollywood, Steven Spielberg is often hailed as the pioneer of the modern blockbuster. His is a craft that leaves people utterly bewitched, and the panoply of films he has created stands as a testament to the same. Given his caliber and experience, it’s no wonder that he’s a close friend of a fellow big fish in the industry, George Lucas. In fact, their history goes long back to the ’70s, ever since which point the two have maintained a close friendship as well as a professional relationship.
And though Spielberg has been a huge fan of Lucas’ fabled creation right from the get-go, the same can’t be said about the latter’s Star Wars prequel trilogy. So much so, that when the Lucasfilm founder introduced him to the battle droids which were first introduced in The Phantom Menace, the Jurassic Park director’s primary reaction was not too different from, ‘Ew, what is that?’
But perhaps it would be worth mentioning that Lucas, 79, himself found the dim-witted combatants inefficient and “pretty useless.” “These things…you know, Jedi cut them down like they’re butter,” he remarked. “Yeah, pretty useless,” Spielberg, 76, agreed. “Look at this old dangle weed here.” And well, they’re not wrong because those droids wouldn’t stand a chance in front of either the Jedis or the clone troopers. The only way that would ever change is if the latter are faced with the B-2 super battle droids instead of the regular, cheap ones.
Why George Lucas’ Never Got His Friend to Direct A Star Wars Movie
Despite the fact that Spielberg is a big Star Wars buff and has been best buddies with the creator for decades, one thing that he’s never done is take charge of the director’s chair in the space opera franchise. While there was a time when Lucas had desperately wanted the three-time Oscar winner to helm a Star Wars film (Spielberg was his first choice for directing Return of the Jedi!) the latter had no choice but to turn down the offer.
Since the Jaws filmmaker was a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), an organization that frowned upon Lucasfilm’s lack of opening credits, Spielberg, like his fellow associates, was not allowed to shepherd a Star Wars movie. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t grace the galactic universe with his creative energy every now and then.
While he may not have helmed a Star Wars venture, Spielberg has certainly fulfilled the role of the consigliere to Lucas, offering imperative advice on the projects, instilling references from the galaxy in his own films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and most importantly, believing in him throughout the way. Besides, Spielberg did collaborate with Lucas at the end of the day, after all, he’s the proud director of the beloved Indiana Jones franchise.
The Star Wars prequel trilogy can be streamed on Disney+.
Source: YouTube
