It sounds like Disney, with their backs against the wall after the disaster of Solo: A Star Wars Story, are reaching out for assistance from someone who knows Star Wars like none other.
Yup, the latest word on the Episode IX rumor mill is that none other than George Lucas has been contacted to help polish up the script and contribute ideas to the upcoming finale of Disney’s new trilogy. The film, set to be directed by J.J. Abrams, will be a make or break release for the studio after the unfairly maligned Last Jedi and the fairly maligned Solo, with Disney hoping to win back fans who might consider themselves a little Star Wars‘d out right now.
Apparently, the plan is to go in heavy on connections to the Prequel and Original trilogies, cementing the nine primary Star Wars movies as one long saga. If that’s the case, then it makes sense why they’re looking to Lucas for help.
This is quite the turnaround for George. After all, his Prequel Trilogy has been roundly mocked for its leaden dialogue and wooden performances ever since its release, with Disney’s initial strategy for the IP being to crib as much from the OT while largely ignoring the PT. That’s shifted lately, however, with the surprise intervention of an aged Darth Maul in the finale of Solo, and that thawing has coincided with Lucas starting to make appearances on the sets of Star Wars movies, including helping Ron Howard direct a particular scene in the aforementioned spinoff.
Depending on your opinions of his talents, the resurrection of George Lucas as a creative force in the franchise might make you cheer or groan. I think that as long as he’s in charge of only the story beats and plotting though, with the actual writing of dialogue left to others, this could be just the creative shot in the arm Star Wars: Episode IX needs. After all, they’ve spent so much time trying to ape the style of the OT over the years, so why not just go back to the source?
