STAR WARS: George Lucas Details Plans For His Sequel Trilogy Including Maul's Return, Darth Talon, And More

STAR WARS: George Lucas Details Plans For His Sequel Trilogy Including Maul's Return, Darth Talon, And More

In resurfaced comments from Star Wars creator George Lucas, we learn more about what the filmmaker had planned for his sequel trilogy, including the return of Maul, Luke Skywalker's mission, and more...

By JoshWilding - Jul 30, 2023 07:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: SFFGazette.com

When Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion, we were told the plan was to base the new Star Wars sequel trilogy on George Lucas' story outlines. While the filmmaker wouldn't be behind the camera, this suggested his vision for a nine-episode Skywalker Saga would be completed. 

Instead, the decision was made to head down a completely different route and the result...well, it was hit-and-miss. Lucasfilm went in with no definitive plan, essentially making the story up as they went. By the time all was said and done, we got three movies with the conflicting visions of J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson. 

In comments first published in The Star Wars Archives - Episode I - III, 1999 - 2005 (via SFFGazette.com), Lucas reveals what his trilogy would have entailed. 

Maul-on-Clone-Wars-season-7-poster-CROPPED-copy

A New Threat Emerges

"After the Rebels won, there were no more stormtroopers in my version of the third trilogy. I had planned for the first trilogy to be about the father, the second trilogy to be about the son, and the third trilogy to be about the daughter and the grandchildren."

"Episodes VII, VIll, and IX would take Ideas from what happened after the Iraq War...the stormtroopers refuse to give up when the Republic win. They want to be stormtroopers forever so they go to a far corner of the galaxy, start their own country, and their own rebellion."

Power Vacuum And Maul's Return

"Gangsters, like the Hutts, are taking advantage of the situation, and there is chaos. The key person Is Darth Maul, who had been resurrected in the Clone Wars cartoons - he brings all the gangs together. One is with a set of cybernetic legs like a spider, and then later on he has metal legs and he was a bit bigger, more of a superhero."

"Darth Maul trained a girl, Darth Talon, who was in the comic books, as his apprentice. She was the new Darth Vader, and most of the action was with her. So these were the two main villains of the trilogy. Maul eventually becomes the godfather of crime in the universe because, as the Empire falls, he takes over."

Luke Skywalker's Mission

"It starts out a few years after Return of the Jedi and we establish pretty quickly that there's this underworld, there are these offshoot stormtroopers who started their own planets, and that Luke is trying to restart the Jedi. He puts the word out, so out of 100,000 Jedi, maybe 50 or 100 are left."

"The Jedi have to grow again from scratch, so Luke has to find two- and three-year-olds and train them. It'll be 20 years before you have a new generation of Jedi."

The Chosen One

"The movies are about how Leia - I mean, who else is going to be the leader? - is trying to build the Republic. They still have the apparatus of the Republic but they have to get it under control from the gangsters. That was the main story."

"By the end of the trilogy, Luke would have rebuilt much of the Jedi, and we would have the renewal of the New Republic, with Lela, Senator Organa, becoming the Supreme Chancellor in charge of everything. So she ended up being the Chosen One."

An argument could definitely be made that Lucas' version of the Star Wars sequel trilogy sounds vastly better than the one we got and, to an extent, it does. However, Lucas also planned to start exploring midi-chlorians and the Whills, so the good may well have become bogged down in some pretty weird mythology.

There are a lot of ideas here that would have worked well, though, including Maul's return and the introduction of Darth Talon. The storylines for Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa also sound like an improvement, particularly in the former's case.

Do you think Lucas' take would have made for a better Star Wars sequel trilogy? Let us know in the comments section.

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JFerguson
JFerguson - 7/30/2023, 7:04 PM
"However, Lucas also planned to start exploring midi-chlorians and the Whills, so the good may well have become bogged down in some pretty weird mythology."

Am I the only one who actually thinks Star wars taking a foray into the biology lore of the force could have been interesting? In my opinion its more interesting than more stormtroopers

Vigor
Vigor - 7/30/2023, 7:09 PM
@JFerguson - you're not the only 1. I was very confused about the backlash with midichlorians
Goldboink
Goldboink - 7/30/2023, 9:07 PM
@JFerguson -
You are not the only one. Those who didn't sleep though biology class know that Mitochondria have their own genetic material and are believed to have been a separate organism that integrated itself into the cells of all living things. Mitochondria are the mechanism that allows food to be stored as ATP and then later turned into energy. I though it was a great concept rooted in actual biology and a way to explain how the using the force can be explained.
Scripturepoetic
Scripturepoetic - 7/31/2023, 1:31 AM
@JFerguson -

The concept is actually solid

In fact the concept can be revisited

It all comes down to execution

For the longest time what differentiated "Star Wars" from "Star Trek", especially "The Next Generation" was that the former was firmly planted in Space Fantasy Drama, while the latter delved into dense extrapolations of futuristic science



The concept of the Midichlorians can actually be the driving force of a dramatic arc that could totally redefine "Star Wars" moving forward, in a very good way

Example:

An arc with the 'Knights of Ren', where the rift between Kylo and Luke is dramatically explored in a lore deeply steeped in a form of sorcery that involves the manipulation of the omnipresence of midichlorians that bind the fabric of reality (at least a very ever-present aspect of life as the universe of "Star Wars" understands it)
Scripturepoetic
Scripturepoetic - 7/31/2023, 1:49 AM
@JFerguson -

I really think the tone and story will really sell the concept

A story that is designed and structured around a magic system 🌟✨️ that actually has layers of intricacy would support a biological level of detail to the world 🌎 building would better fit in that type of setting

The fan-base rejected the concept mostly because 'the Force' alluded to spirituality, while something grounded closer to science transforms the metaphysical to something cerebral 🧠 which the mind or the fan culture might reject because on the surface level the concept seems a betrayal of what the nature of 'Star 🌟 Wars' was, which was a Space Adventure, not a critique on the state of reality on an atomic level
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/31/2023, 4:29 AM
@JFerguson - I'd rather be complaining about midichlorians than the inauthentic cash grab of the sequel trilogy we actually got.
JFerguson
JFerguson - 7/31/2023, 6:25 AM
@Goldboink - facts man, I think a topic like that really could have been an interesting avenue to explore in Star Wars.

@Scripturepoetic - I think the best bet for this being revisited is probably a few episodes of Star Wars Visions if we’re lucky
JFerguson
JFerguson - 7/31/2023, 6:27 AM
@ObserverIO - yep. To corporate Hollywood, new ideas pose a threat to profits. Might as well rehash old ones to them
Deklipz
Deklipz - 7/31/2023, 8:56 AM
@JFerguson - visions is 90% an unwatchable mess.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 7/31/2023, 1:08 PM
@JFerguson - Nah, the ambugity of the force is what makes it interesting. When you break it down to a biology or try to explain it that takes away the magic. Thats why The Last Jedi's scene with Luke explaining what the force is to Rey was so interesting as they were trying to undo what george lucas did with midichlorians.
The1st
The1st - 7/31/2023, 1:17 PM
@JFerguson - Let me start by saying I'm not pointing fingers at anyone here. That said, I was okay with the midichlorians too, for most of the reasons you mentioned. But hindsight has a way of being as clouded as the dark side. I remember everyone bashing the idea, when they weren't bashing Jar Jar (which is another story because a Darth Jar Jar could have been fun), and then after the fact they, "people", are now for it smh. George's version has been told before, but I wish he'd just have stuck to his guns a bit more. If it had been a mess it would have been his mess, for better or worse, and it would be better than Disney mostly limiting the growth of the IP when there's a literal universe to play with. Not saying I agree w/Kennedy and her let the past die BS, but clearly the characters should have been handled with care and not merchandised to death. I still find it funny how all of these studios undoubtedly have heads that understand investing, but opt for the same get rich quick scenario with little thought to the long term. I guess the profit margin is acceptable to them, but...it could be more.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 7/31/2023, 4:28 PM
@JFerguson - funny how all of sudden fans are about the midi chlorians now. now fans love George Lucas. ill never forget the same shitty fans are the ones who ran the man out of the building with all their toxic bullshit after the prequels. ill remember always those same fans celebrating the sale of star wars to Disney as being what will save the property from George Lucas. now they are treating Kennedy like they did Lucas. now they are pissing on the new talent like they pissed on Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christiansen, Ahmed Best etc. Whats even crazier is the same fans will still piss all over Disney and Kennedy even if they retconned out the sequel trilogy in favor of George's vision. a community that demands to be pleased and when those demands are met they are still not pleased.
massdeath
massdeath - 7/30/2023, 7:04 PM
Sounds x100000 times better than the garbage we got. Although all that prior Whils talk was worrisome.
Cap1
Cap1 - 7/30/2023, 7:06 PM
1999-2005? Man, Josh really needs these writers n actors to be paid a fair wage
EarlChai
EarlChai - 7/30/2023, 8:03 PM
@Cap1 - 🤨 That’s the title of the second volume of the Star Wars Archives books—the volume focused on the prequel trilogy. Phantom Menace came out in ‘99, Revenge of the Sith came out in ‘05.
BlackIceJoe
BlackIceJoe - 7/30/2023, 7:09 PM
I personally would have preferred to see the Expanded Universe come to life, over both this and what we got.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/31/2023, 4:38 AM
@BlackIceJoe - It felt like a betrayal when they told us that canon was no longer canon. But even the EU wasn't completely perfect. George is the one person who can contradict the EU and deviate from what we thought of as canon, because he is the author of Star Wars. He is usually quite respectful of all the EU stuff, but if he wants to deviate for te sequel trilogy, then I'm gonna disregard everything I think I know and let him tell me how it all is.

At least he included Darth Talon in his version. Okay so she's no longer a future Sith and is now the young apprentice of Darth Maul, but at least it's acknowledging a comic that takes place in a future where all of the EU has already happened. That's more than I can say for the Disney stuff.
(it's only recently they've been bringing in hardcore EU elements like Thrawn).
Se4M4NSt4ine
Se4M4NSt4ine - 7/30/2023, 7:13 PM
I like the idea of Maul being Tony Soprano, and having an apprentice - but the idea of gangsters taking over a galaxy that is engulfed with royalty, dictators, tyrants and then Jedi, is a bit - far fetched? It would’ve made a good plot for the first entry, but I feel you’d need someone even bigger than Maul to rally a bigger threat to Luke?

One of the only think the Disney got right, having a personal family member in Luke’s life be a threat to him, undoing everything Luke works for from the inside of his own family tree in Ben.
mdwilliamson24
mdwilliamson24 - 7/30/2023, 7:14 PM
George was always a good guy for ideas and good story guy. Great imagination.
He just wasn't the best at actual directing.

Get him to layout the stories, someone to base it into an actual screenplay with better dialog and some really good talented director to put it together, you'd get some good to great Star Wars movies.
At least these would have had a focused storyline compared to what we got.
Se4M4NSt4ine
Se4M4NSt4ine - 7/30/2023, 7:17 PM
@mdwilliamson24 - It’s crazy because had George been more self aware and humble and only got involved in a producing capacity - he’d of been the what Feige is to Marvel.
mdwilliamson24
mdwilliamson24 - 7/30/2023, 7:31 PM
@Se4M4NSt4ine - Ha! Yes. George being the Feige for the Stars Wars film universe is a great way to put it.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 7/30/2023, 9:56 PM
@Se4M4NSt4ine -
@mdwilliamson24 -

From what I've heard, Lucas sought out other directors for the PT and they declined.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/31/2023, 4:44 AM
@dagenspear - A lot of big name directors declined Episode VII as well and they were all directors who loved Star Wars, but I think they were intimidated to do something so important and just wanted to do something smaller in a far corner of the Star Wars galaxy. Many of their pitches for smaller stories were rejected though (like Guillermo Del Toro's Jabba the Hutt and Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon).
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 7/30/2023, 7:17 PM
Yeah, this easily sounds better than what was released, not only that but you already have a good setup for sequels with all the new Jedi being trained under Luke.
santoanderson
santoanderson - 7/30/2023, 7:22 PM
The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that Star Wars was lightning in a bottle.

Lucas was fortunate to surround himself with the right people in 1975, who helped him turn his messy and unfilmable space story about religion, politics and, uh, space microorganisms into a rousing swashbuckler with talking robots, spaceships, laser swords and guns; basically a modern-day homage to Flash Gordon.

Everything after the original trilogy has been mediocre-to-bad, and they will never make anything as good as those first three movies.
Cap1
Cap1 - 7/30/2023, 7:25 PM
@santoanderson - Andor is as good as (if not potentially better) than the OGs, but on a general level of heart and wonder those films brought with them, yeah, it won’t ever be replicated. Though TFA did come close when I first saw it in cinemas
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 7/30/2023, 7:25 PM
@santoanderson - You hit the nail on the head my man.
👍
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/30/2023, 7:31 PM
@santoanderson - the animated shows have tended to be pretty good usually aswell.
MotherFuckerJon
MotherFuckerJon - 7/30/2023, 8:34 PM
@Cap1 - sacrilege what you have just stated there.
Goldboink
Goldboink - 7/30/2023, 9:12 PM
@santoanderson -
I do think you are right. Don't forget that many of the people responsible for making Star Wars what it was were involved with Jodorovsky's Dune as well and much of the imagery and some story elements were "borrowed" from that. It was a product of it's time and guys like Lawrence Kasdan had an impact as well writing the second screen play. Lucas made so much money and had so much acclaim that he got a bigish head and didn't take much input from others. I do think he realized that and that's why he took Filoni on as an apprentice. The stuff that Favreau and Filoni made is as close to the original trilogy as any thing and far surpasses the third trilogy in every imaginable way.

Now that the generation who saw Star Wars as kids and grew up to be in cinema as a result of that experience have an opportunity to play in that sandbox better content is coming.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 7/30/2023, 9:51 PM
@santoanderson -
@Feralwookiee -

That's not factually accurate.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 7/30/2023, 9:51 PM
@Mother[frick]erJon - Not at all.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 7/30/2023, 9:53 PM
@Goldboink - LORD willing, you can't know quality is coming.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/31/2023, 4:51 AM
@Goldboink - The best Star Wars movie (Empire) and the basic storyline and mythology for the prequels and sequels was all written by Leigh Bracket. (Kasdan contributed to Empire as well of course, but the majority of that was Brackett).
Goldboink
Goldboink - 7/31/2023, 10:25 AM
@ObserverIO -
As in not George Lucas. The best work comes from him handing is mythology off to others who understand it to write. While Leigh Brackett did write a screenplay for Empire she died later that year.
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