3. He Knows How to Balance a Large Cast
Shrek, Donkey, Fiona. Peter, Susan, Edmond, Lucy, Caspian. These are not small casts, considering the development these characters go through. And
Star Wars is no different. In fact, this is where names like Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams get thrown into the mix; adding not just a single, arcing protagonist, but a whole set of them (and antagonists).
Star Wars has never been a one-man show with characters like Han Solo, Yoda, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, and Obi-Wan running about. And that barely scratches the surface. So you need someone who provides for big changes in the "less-is-more" kind of way. Check out how Adamson discusses the relationship between Susan and Caspian in
Prince Caspian in the following interview at around 1:08. http://youtu.be/6VQT9S9sbRw
"There is a little flirtation that goes on between Susan and Caspian, and actually, I found that--the kids have grown up. Susan's a little older, Caspian's cute...why wouldn't there be some type of attraction? But to me, there's an important element there. It's this sort of story that it's better to have loved and lost than not at all. And that's really Susan's relationship, and really all the kids' relationship with Narnia. For her, she's a little reticent to accept Narnia because she had to say goodbye to it last time. And this time, it's through Caspian that she chooses to just seize that moment and say, 'I'm going to enjoy what I've got now, even though I know I have to move on.' I think that's an important message for all of us."
That's the kind of character attention a director needs to be giving to
Star Wars. We don't necessarily need full-blown soap operas of relationships, but a little goes a long way and doesn't have to take center stage to be effective.