George Lucas (who lies all the time) claims he always planned for it to be Episode IV, but that introduction was only added when it was re-released before after The Empire Strikes Back came out… and when people initially saw it, they laughed.
Partly because it fit in with the whole idea of being a modern Flash Gordon serial, where you drop in partway through the story. I think it worked pretty well, personally.
Unfortunately, all of his references to old Republic serials (especially the wipes) go over the head of most audiences and even did in 1977. He’s a better movie nerd than he is a director in my opinion.
Because he outlined the story from the events of Phantom Menace all the way to Return of the Jedi before the first movie even went into production.
Then he decided to tell the second part of the story first, THEN realized the script was too long for even that and split it into three movies.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to commit the whole story to film, so he thought the introduction of Vader’s son and the destruction of the super weapon was the most important part and was able to stand up on its own.
When he realized he could actually finish the second act of the story, he surprised the viewing audience by calling Empire Strikes Back “Episode V” and retroactively calling Star Wars “Episode IV A New Hope”.
Based on how documented the prequel are I can see he pen a story outline but didn’t have it funny figured out. So when he did get to write the script, he actually figured out the actual stories, and I’m sure the story changed in his head over the 3 decades of working on the 6 movies.
Maybe, maybe not - but I do remember the review of “Return of the Jedi” in my teenage magazine from 1983/84, where indeed they quoted Lucas as saying that there would be 9 movies in total. I think there was even mention of 3 prequels, but it’s been 40 years so… I might be wrong on that.
Am I misremembering? I saw it when it came out and I thought the film had a title card that said Episode IV and everybody in the theater laughed at that. Sometimes different cuts of a movie get released in different areas.
Nope. It was originally just Star Wars.
George Lucas (who lies all the time) claims he always planned for it to be Episode IV, but that introduction was only added when it was re-released
beforeafter The Empire Strikes Back came out… and when people initially saw it, they laughed.Edit: Got the chronology wrong
The best star wars was when George didn’t have total control, the first movie was saved in the editing room
He divorced that editor, so she couldn’t save his bacon later.
LOL! Lucas is petty, but that’s not WHY he divorced her.
She wanted to leave, but he made sure she got ziltch from Star Wars as a result.
I didn’t say that’s why he divorced her
Well I’ll be damned. TIL!
Although even if he did plan it to be “episode IV…” WHY START AT 4?! lol
Partly because it fit in with the whole idea of being a modern Flash Gordon serial, where you drop in partway through the story. I think it worked pretty well, personally.
Unfortunately, all of his references to old Republic serials (especially the wipes) go over the head of most audiences and even did in 1977. He’s a better movie nerd than he is a director in my opinion.
The wipes are glorious.
It’s one thing they preserved in the prequels (at least, the ones I watched) that I appreciated.
It’s just too bad people don’t understand that and other serial references, because I think Lucas wanted people to get it.
Part of the disorientation of the first cold open
Because he outlined the story from the events of Phantom Menace all the way to Return of the Jedi before the first movie even went into production.
Then he decided to tell the second part of the story first, THEN realized the script was too long for even that and split it into three movies.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to commit the whole story to film, so he thought the introduction of Vader’s son and the destruction of the super weapon was the most important part and was able to stand up on its own.
When he realized he could actually finish the second act of the story, he surprised the viewing audience by calling Empire Strikes Back “Episode V” and retroactively calling Star Wars “Episode IV A New Hope”.
Yeah, I’m completely convinced that this story is all just Lucas retconning his career.
Based on how documented the prequel are I can see he pen a story outline but didn’t have it funny figured out. So when he did get to write the script, he actually figured out the actual stories, and I’m sure the story changed in his head over the 3 decades of working on the 6 movies.
Maybe, maybe not - but I do remember the review of “Return of the Jedi” in my teenage magazine from 1983/84, where indeed they quoted Lucas as saying that there would be 9 movies in total. I think there was even mention of 3 prequels, but it’s been 40 years so… I might be wrong on that.
He did say that by 1983, yes.
When did they change it? When was empire called episode 5?
Yep. When it was re-released after Empire.
Am I misremembering? I saw it when it came out and I thought the film had a title card that said Episode IV and everybody in the theater laughed at that. Sometimes different cuts of a movie get released in different areas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changes_in_Star_Wars_re-releases#Release_history
Makes sense. I saw the re-release and just merged the two in my brain.