10 Terrible Star Wars Ideas That Nearly Happened

2. George Lucas' Sequel Trilogies

Star Wars George Lucas Credit
Lucasfilm

It wasn't long after the release of Star Wars that George Lucas was talking about sequels, and not just Episodes V and VI. Even way back then he claimed to have ideas for three trilogies, with other films to take it up to 12 movies in total.

Lucas has since walked back some of those comments, and the prequels failing and eventual sale of Lucasfilm to Disney have put to bed any chance of more Lucas-driven Star Wars. We're definitely getting Episode IX, and probably X-XII at some point, but Lucas has zero input.

However, despite once distancing himself from the idea of making sequels, his story plans were given to Disney as part of the 2012 deal. Later, in 2015, it was stated his original plan was to release Episode VII in May 2015, then sell the company after; Disney's offer expedited the process.

It's unknown exactly how it would've looked, with various story hints given over the years, including a love interest for Luke, a focus on rebuilding the Republic, and seeing Luke become the greatest Jedi alive.

Those obviously shifted as Empire and Return took shape, and the more recent word on Lucas' plans said they involved new characters and worlds, and also that it would've been centred on very young characters, most likely teenagers.

After the prequel trilogy, there's a generation of fans who wouldn't have accepted anything Lucas did, and also plenty of reason to believe he wouldn't have done a great job of steering the ship once more. The sequels needed some distance from Lucas, even if The Force Awakens closely mirrors A New Hope, and him directing - or even being involved at all - wouldn't have given the clean break needed, while likely being marred by the same issues as the prequels.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.