Why Didn't George Lucas Attend Premiere of Star Wars: A New Hope? Surprising Reason

When the idea for a sci-fi space opera was conceived in George Lucas' head in the early 1970s, the director did not expect that the project would give birth to a huge franchise that is being developed to this day. Moreover, he did not expect success even after the idea turned into a movie and the production was entering theaters. Much of the "credit" for this goes to his friends.

Related:Stormtroopers Were Supposed to Wield Lightsabers, But George Lucas Changed Mind

George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Brian de Palma and Steven Spielberg formed a tight-knit pack in the 1970s. The directors often shared insights into the movies they made, providing constructive criticism. The filmmakers also met to watch the original version of Star Wars. Unfortunately, inspired by Joseph Campbell's mythological ideas the production raised some objections among those gathered.

Brian De Palma pointed out, for example, that viewers might be confused by the fact that they were served the fourth part first. During the test screening there was no shower of praises and only Steven Spielberg reacted enthusiastically.

Unsurprisingly, George Lucas himself, discouraged by his friends' less than ideal reception of the work, began to see the future of the project in dark colors. Having a pessimistic attitude and not expecting success, the creator of Star Wars, therefore went on vacation to Hawaii instead of the premiere. He only learned about the positive reception of his movie by the viewers while on vacation when he received a phone call from the head of 20th Century Fox. Alan Ladd Jr. immediately told Lucas to turn on the TV. When the director saw that his work had become a sensation, that's when he first realized that in making Star Wars, created a hit.

More:George Lucas Reveals Why Duels in Prequel Trilogy are More Dynamic

Pamela Jakiel

Pamela Jakiel

Finished film studies, graduate of the Faculty Individual Studies in the Humanities at the Jagiellonian University. Her master's thesis was about new spirituality in contemporary cinema. The editor of the gamepressure.com since April 2023. She used to write for naEkranie. If she's not watching The Ninth Gate for the hundredth time, then she's reading books by Therese Bohman and Donna Tartt for the first time. She prefers gnosis over dread, dramas over horrors, Jung over Freud. She looks for symbolist paintings in museums. Runs long distances, and does even the longer ones on a gravel. Loves dachshunds.