Steven Spielberg Says George Lucas Wouldn’t Let Him Direct Star Wars Films

Back when George Lucas was originally working on crafting a comprehensive narrative for his beloved space fantasy saga, he and legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg were best friends. But when Star Wars really took off, the creator was reluctant to give him the reins of the blockbuster franchise.

For the first three pics, now known as the Original Trilogy, Lucas refused to acknowledge the importance of directorial efforts. As such, he contracted low profile talents to helm The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It seems as though Spielberg actually wanted to do a Star Wars film as well, despite his sentiments back when rumors about Disney’s Sequel Trilogy were brewing, as he said the following at the time: “No! No! It’s not my genre. It’s my best friend George’s genre.”

Apparently, the director had already explained the dynamics at play when that galaxy far, far away was just starting to grow. In a resurfaced interview conducted back in 2002, here’s what he shared about the topic:

“I’ve asked [Lucas]. He won’t let me do one. I wanted to do one 15 years ago, and he didn’t want me to do it,” he said.

The Jaws filmmaker further added that despite this, he has no hard feelings towards Lucas because his decision was justified, saying the following:

“I understand why – Star Wars is George’s baby. It’s his cottage industry and it’s his fingerprints. He knows I’ve got Jurassic Park and Raiders. But George has Star Wars and I don’t think he feels inclined to share any of it with me.”

That being said, Spielberg was heavily involved with the making of Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. In fact, he’s even listed as a guest director on some versions of the film, having assisted his buddy Lucas with a few key fight scenes, including the one at the end between Grand Master Yoda and Emperor Palpatine.

But tell us, would you be interested in watching a Star Wars movie directed by the acclaimed filmmaker? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below and feel free to share what you’d like to see from the future of the franchise.