George Lucas, Steven Spielberg
Image credit: STEVEN SPIELBERG & GEORGE LUCAS: Lucy Nicholson/AP Photo

All About

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Get the latest photos, news, and more

5. Lucas got some help from an old Jedi named Spielberg.
Although to hear Lucas tell it, he was doing the E.T. director the favor. ''I was getting ready to shoot in Australia,'' says Lucas, ''and Steven was whining on the phone all the time, 'Ohhh, I don't have anything to do, I'm sitting here by the pool, and poor me, I don't have a movie to direct...''' So Lucas sent one of his computer artists chez Spielberg to hang with the director and map out some action sequences, including Yoda's duel with Darth Sidious and Obi-Wan Kenobi's tussle with General Grievous (though Spielberg's plan for the latter was so epic, Lucas could use only bits of it). Spielberg weighed in on other scenes, too, such as Anakin and Obi-Wan's climactic battle on the lava planet of Mustafar. His involvement was enough to inspire on-set rumors that Lucas was bringing Spielberg to Australia to codirect. Not true, according to all parties.

Originally posted May 11, 2005 Published in issue #820 May 20, 2005 Order article reprints
Page 1 2 3 4 5
You Might Also Like

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.

500 characters remaining