Denis Villeneuve Says ‘Star Wars’ Got ‘Derailed’ by ‘Return of the Jedi’ and ‘There’s No More Surprises’ in the Franchise: ‘I’m Not Dreaming’ of Directing One

As a film enthusiast with a profound appreciation for cinematic storytelling, I find myself deeply moved by Denis Villeneuve‘s candid reflections on his childhood fascination with “Star Wars.” His experiences, shared during his interview on “The Town” podcast, resonate with me as someone who also grew up enamored by the galaxy far, far away.

Denis Villeneuve has often mentioned “Star Wars” as one of his favorite childhood films, but this doesn’t imply he’d jump at the chance to collaborate with Lucasfilm on a movie set in a distant galaxy. In an appearance on “The Town” podcast, the director of “Dune” explained that helming a “Star Wars” film isn’t a personal goal because he feels that “Return of the Jedi,” released in 1983, damaged the franchise.

Villeneuve shared his feelings about George Lucas’ original ‘Star Wars’. At age 10, it made a profound impact on him. He described it as if it were a silver bullet to his mind. His fascination with ‘Star Wars’ grew immensely, and he confessed that ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ was the movie he eagerly awaited most in his life. He saw the film countless times on screen, and the impact of it left him feeling traumatized. Above all, he is a huge fan of ‘Star Wars’.

He went on to explain that things went awry in 1983 with ‘Return of the Jedi.’ It’s quite a tale. At the time, I was fifteen and my closest friend and I had this wild idea to hail a taxi and travel to L.A. to meet George Lucas. We were enraged! Even now, I can’t help but feel irritated about the Ewoks. It turned out to be more of a kids’ comedy.

Villeneuve expressed that following “Return of the Jedi,” the “Star Wars” series had solidified into its own mythology, becoming quite rigid and formulaic, as if following a predetermined recipe with no room for surprises. Consequently, he doesn’t aspire to work on a “Star Wars” project because it feels like the storytelling elements are already strictly defined.

He won’t be involved with “Star Wars” or a famous space series like “Star Trek,” as he’s not a ‘Trek fan.’)

Luckily, Villeneuve is widely regarded as a space genre legend without needing to work on “Star Wars” or “Star Trek”. This recognition comes from his successful direction of “Dune”, which has earned him significant praise in recent times. At present, he’s working on a third “Dune” film, planned to be adapted from Frank Herbert’s second “Dune” novel, “Dune Messiah.

Earlier this year, the director clarified on ‘Little Gold Men’ podcast by Vanity Fair that a third film he might be working on is still in the development phase, unlike a trilogy. He explained, however, that if he returns to the project, it will be to create something fresh and distinct.

12 years following the storyline of the initial “Dune” novel, “Dune Messiah” is set. Given this, it’s expected that a movie adaptation would necessitate maturing the young cast led by Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and others. Director Villeneuve hinted at his ability to achieve this aging process when asked about his plans, but he has not yet disclosed specific details on how he intends to do so.

Listen to Villeneuve’s full interview on the “The Town” podcast here.

2024-11-28 04:16

Denis Villeneuve Says ‘Star Wars’ Got ‘Derailed’ by ‘Return of the Jedi’ and ‘There’s No More Surprises’ in the Franchise: ‘I’m Not Dreaming’ of Directing One

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