We Would Have Been Living in a World Without Star Wars Had George Lucas Never Faced Rejection From Another $27 Million Sci-fi Movie

Established in 1977 with Episode IV – A New Hope, the Star Wars saga has gained a tremendous edge in the industry to be regarded as one of the greatest franchises in cinematic history. If anything, it has immaculately succeeded in creating the atomic age of cinema and winning the hearts of millions of fans worldwide with its brilliant masterpiece of a storyline.

However, many don’t know that this absolutely breathtaking universe from a figment of George Lucas’ imagination actually would have never made its way to the public had one other project of the mastermind gotten the greenlight: A movie adaptation of the comic strip Flash Gordon. Thankfully, Lucas faced rejection from that and ended up giving birth to a saga that created history.

Star Wars Came About Because George Lucas’ Flash Gordon Film Fell Apart

People say when one door closes, another one opens; meaning that opportunities come about all the time, and losing one doesn’t mean you’ve lost all. The same happened with George Lucas back in the 1970s, before he created his masterpiece space opera franchise.

According to what legendary veteran filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola shared at the recently held Cannes Film Festival while presenting him with the honorary Palme d’Or accolade, the door to the Star Wars saga just may have never opened had Lucas not faced a brutal rejection first.

This happened back in the day when the mastermind pitched a film adaptation for Flash Gordon and ended up facing rejection from the owners of the iconic comic strip. (The film later got made under the direction of Mike Hodges on a budget of $27 million, as per the Los Angeles Times.)

Thus, seemingly frustrated with the decision, Lucas decided to create his own franchise instead. As Coppola recalled during the event (via Variety):

He looked at me and he said, ‘Well, I’ll make my own movie, I’ll call it “Star Battles” or “Star Wars” or something.’ And so he did, and in the process, risked everything he had to make it.

But as fans already know, this risk only turned out to benefit the filmmaker cum philanthropist immensely, considering how not only did his first movie Episode IV – A New Hope from 1977 gave birth to his masterpiece franchise, but it also marked a new era in the history of cinema.

Ever since then, not only did Lucas continue to grow in respect and admiration in the eyes of people, but his majestically fan-beloved franchise even went on to get quite a few rip-offs and movies inspired by the brilliance Lucas displayed in his own space universe.

That being said, he has left a lot of people proud with how he managed to make history in a ton of fields, with Coppola being one of the many holding incredible commendations for him for the same.

Francis Ford Coppola is ‘Proud’ of How George Lucas Made ‘History’

During the same event, Hollywood mastermind veteran Francis Ford Coppola also shared how he was truly taken aback by the splendor Lucas displayed right from the moment the pair first met on the sets of Finian’s Rainbow back in 1968.

Sharing praise for his dear friend while remembering their history together, Coppola said:

Pleased to have someone in my own generation, I suggested he come every day, but only on one condition: That he come up with a brilliant suggestion every day, which he consistently did. And with that began an association that has lasted a lifetime.

Not only that, but The Godfather filmmaker continued to heap admiration on Lucas, truthfully claiming how “he went on and on, making film history, story history, business history, and now history in France” with his honorary award.

Congratulating him for the same, Coppola admitted how Lucas had ushered him into his list of applauders and people who were proud of him for his magnificent success as a storyteller, saying:

Congratulations George, not only am I and your many friends proud of you, but the world is here, proud to honor you.

Well, for one, we most certainly are honored to have existed in the time of Lucas, for had it not been for him, the world would have been desperately deprived of a universe as magnificently mind-blowing as his Star Wars one.

You can stream all Star Wars movies and TV series on Disney+.