“Star Wars” creator George Lucas has never shied away from firing back at critics. The prequels may be loved now, but back when they were first hitting the silver screen, the writer-director was a frequent target for a frenzied fandom’s never-ending wrath. In May 2024, at the Cannes Film Festival where he received a Palme d’Or, Lucas recalled the hostile reaction the prequels received. “It was supposed to be a kid’s movie for 12-year-olds that were going through puberty, who don’t know what they’re doing, and are asking all the big questions: What should I be worried about? What’s important in life?” (per TheWrap).
Lucas further pointed to the ire that characters like C3PO (Anthony Daniels), Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), and the Ewoks received, justifying their whimsical roles in a story that was always meant for younger viewers.
Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see how a R-rated “Star Wars” may not exactly fit into the franchise’s core DNA. Zack Snyder famously pivoted to “Rebel Moon” when he realized there were some lines Disney wouldn’t cross with their greatest IP. Should “Star Wars” ever go R-rated with any project — film or streaming series — for better or worse, it’d be a move that would certainly be a complete 180 from Lucas’ original vision.
