The Force Awakens is here and we’ve all seen it. For most of us, our fears about what could’ve been have been assuaged and the movie is a hit with both critics and fans. For me, I wasn’t worried about the quality of the film itself. The filmmakers behind it are among the best and anything they put together would be extremely watchable. My biggest concern was what would Star Wars without George Lucas feel like?
In being a huge Star Wars fan, I find myself also being a huge fan of George Lucas. I’ve seen nearly every movie he’s been attached to. In his interviews, he comes across as extremely intelligent and very often, prescient about the state of Hollywood and entertainment. Could a Star Wars movie without him have the same magic? Would it just be another Hollywood blockbuster?
The more I thought about the galaxy far, far away without Lucas involved, I found myself thinking not of Star Wars, but of Star Trek. Like a lot of Star Wars fans, I’m also a fan of the Trek. Star Trek, of course, was created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966 and the original show ran for 3 seasons before being canceled. Years later the franchise would be resurrected through movies and new TV shows. At first, Gene Roddenberry was involved in these productions very heavily, writing and rewriting scripts and guiding the production.
Gene Roddenberry passed away in 1991, but Star Trek continued on without him. Some would say that it even improved after he was no longer involved on a regular basis. Star Wars fans now find themselves in a similar situation. The creator and figurehead is no longer there, a “soulless” corporation has taken over. Will they treat the franchise we love with the proper amount of respect?
Based on what we have seen come out of Disney and Star Wars so far I think we can all see that our beloved stories are being appreciated and treated appropriately. Much like Star Trek which succeeded after Roddenberry stepped away, Star Wars will do the same. Will it be the same franchise had George Lucas never sold to Disney? No, but I think with a fresh perspective and a proper respect to what came before, the Wars can rise to heights never imagined in the past as the new creators push the franchise into exciting new directions. We’ve only gotten the first taste of what is to come.
Author: Paul Depaola
Born in the desert, raised on the beach and now residing in the mountains. An obsessive, compulsive geek with a tendency to bring everything back to Star Wars. In his spare time he is TK-5990, a proud member of the 501st Legion. Paul is also the host of his own podcast, Fanboys Talking.