A single, overlooked decision by George Lucas could have drastically altered the course of the Star Wars saga. Before Disney acquired the franchise in 2012, Lucas was completely in charge. He not only created Star Wars, but he also oversaw its creative direction until Disney, led by Bob Iger, purchased it in the early 2010s.
The original Star Wars director had final say on every creative decision. While many of those choices are now well-known, one has been lost to history. It seems Dave Filoni wasn’t George Lucas’s initial pick for the position he ultimately became famous for within the Star Wars universe.
A recent report from The Wrap details leadership changes at the Star Wars studio, with Dave Filoni poised to replace Kathleen Kennedy as CEO. The report also reveals that Genndy Tartakovsky, known for creating Star Wars: Clone Wars and Dexter’s Laboratory, declined a leadership position at Lucasfilm in 2005. This led George Lucas to hire Dave Filoni instead.
Genndy Tartakovsky, famous for his distinctive 2D animation, first worked on Star Wars in the early 2000s. He created a series of animated shorts to bridge the story between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. This project was called Star Wars: Clone Wars – it’s different from the later series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
In his 2022 book, Genndy Tartakovsky: Sincerity in Animation, the creator of the original Clone Wars series shared further details about this time in his career. Tartakovsky recalls that after Clone Wars ended, Jim Morris, then head of ILM, told him, “George [Lucas] wants to expand the studio and have you take on a role similar to John Lasseter’s.”
Despite initial consideration, he ultimately declined the offer, realizing it would likely dictate the course of his career for the next twenty years or more.
Following ‘Clone Wars,’ Jim Morris, then head of ILM, told me George Lucas wanted to expand the studio and envisioned me in a role similar to John Lasseter. I was excited and said I wanted to focus on making films, offering to oversee the TV shows instead. However, I realized ‘Star Wars’ could dominate my career for the next two decades, and I didn’t want that to happen.
This led Lucasfilm to contact Dave Filoni, who was then famous for his work on the popular series Avatar: The Last Airbender. He was hired to lead Lucasfilm Animation and created Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which eventually led to other successful shows like Rebels, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka.
If Tartakovsky had directed Star Wars, the franchise would likely be vastly different today. Dave Filoni wouldn’t be leading Lucasfilm, and the entire Star Wars universe would probably look and feel completely unlike what we know now.
After his work on the Lucasian canon, Tartakovsky created popular series such as Primal and films like Hotel Transylvania and Fixed (you can find more information about Fixed here).
Would Genndy Tartakovsky Ever Return to Star Wars
Over two decades later, dedicated Star Wars fans still fondly recall Genndy Tartakovsky’s contributions to the franchise. Despite declining a position to oversee the studio’s animation, many continue to wonder if he might revisit the galaxy far, far away in the future.
Genndy Tartakovsky’s take on Clone Wars has gained a dedicated fanbase despite its unconventional style. Many fans believe the current Clone Wars series could benefit from a similar, creative energy. The most memorable character introduced during Tartakovsky’s involvement was Asajj Ventress, who first appeared in his original animated shorts.
In an August 2025 interview with Inverse, Tartakovsky shared his enthusiasm for seeing Asajj Ventress brought to life in a live-action series. He even hinted that he’d be open to working on the show if Ventress, with her unique dual-sabers, were involved, saying, “If she becomes live action, super cool.” He added that he’d definitely consider a return if asked to work on it, calling it “an interesting conversation.”
Now that Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan are leading Lucasfilm, it would be a great tribute to the franchise’s legacy to involve someone like Genndy Tartakovsky in a new story within the Star Wars universe.
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2026-01-23 22:35