Star Wars is today a cult film. But before the premiere, George Lucas was far from sure whether his space opera would resonate with audiences. That’s why he quickly packed his bags.
From today’s perspective, it seems absurd: when George Lucas offered Star Wars to the studios in Hollywood after his two films THX-1138 and American Graffiti, he received a lot of rejection. Big names like Universal or Disney did not want to take the risk of backing the unusual project.
After all, it would cost a lot and include a variety of strange aliens – trust in Lucas and his ideas was low. Only the then president of 20th Century Fox, Alan Ladd Jr., eventually agreed.
When the film was almost finished, Lucas showed it to his best friends. Their verdict? Well, let’s say it was mixed.
On MeinMMO, we have ranked all 15 films of the saga – check it out and let us know your opinion.
Brilliant film or clear flop?
Whom did Lucas show Star Wars? Two of his best friends were Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palma. The two directors watched an early version of Star Wars.
At this point, large portions of the visual effects were missing, and Lucas still used archival footage from old war films in some places. Consequently, it was quite difficult to judge the unfinished film.
Nonetheless, Spielberg and De Palma came to an opinion. While Spielberg, who was never allowed to direct a Star Wars film himself, predicted great success, De Palma was skeptical. Since he and Lucas were good friends, he did not hold back with his devastating judgment.
Lucas probably agreed with him and lost faith in his own film. As the premiere approached, he got cold feet. That’s why he took an unusual step.
What did Lucas do? Instead of going to the premiere and experiencing firsthand how the film was received by audiences, Lucas grabbed his friend Spielberg and took a vacation with him. Yes, you read that right. The two traveled to Hawaii, where according to Spielberg, the idea for Indiana Jones also originated (via vanityfair.com).
Was Lucas right with his concerns? Today we know: No. Even at the premiere and the following screenings, long lines formed around the blocks near the cinemas. Only when the president of 20th Century Fox called Hawaii did Lucas learn about the surprise success of his film. And the rest is history. Did you know that a major inconsistency is already present in the first 5 minutes of Star Wars?
