Why George Lucas Really Began Star Wars With Episode 4
The original Star Wars is famously the fourth chapter in the epic saga. But why wasn't it considered Episode I, considering it was released first?
Star Wars
- Created by
- George Lucas
- First Film
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
- Latest Film
- Star Wars: Episode XI - The Rise of Skywalker
- First TV Show
- Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Summary
Created by George Lucas, Star Wars began in 1977 with the then-eponymous film that would later be retitled Episode IV: A New Hope. The original Star Wars trilogy centered on Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa, who helped lead the Rebel Alliance to victory over the tyrannous Galactic Empire. This Empire was overseen by Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine, who was aided by the cybernetic menace known as Darth Vader. In 1999, Lucas returned to Star Wars with a prequel trilogy that explored how Luke’s father Anakin Skywalker became a Jedi and eventually succumbed to the dark side of the Force. This, of course, is what led him to become the aforementioned Darth Vader. Lucas would sell Lucasfilm and Star Wars to The Walt Disney Company in 2012, and two years later, Disney declared the entire Expanded Universe – consisting of novels, comic books, video games and more – non-canon. The new era of Star Wars canon was bolstered by the sequel trilogy, which kicked off in 2015 with The Force Awakens. This trilogy saw a new generation of heroes band together to take down the First Order, an Empire-like regime that rose from the ashes of Palpatine’s original Empire. The faction was led by Supreme Leader Snoke and later Kylo Ren, the son of Han and Leia and the grandson of Darth Vader. Outside of the prequel, original and sequel trilogies, Disney experimented with Star Wars anthology films such as Rogue One and Solo. When Disney+ launched in 2019, the company also expanded into live-action television with The Mandalorian, which paved the way for The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Andor and more. The streaming service also housed the revival of The Clone Wars for its final season and a spinoff called The Bad Batch. As for the Expanded Universe, while those stories are no longer canon, fans can still revisit them under the Star Wars Legends banner.
latest
When Does The Mandalorian Take Place?
The Mandalorian is the flagship show of Star Wars' television series and its place in the Star Wars timeline is a little complicated.
What If...? Director Reveals Kevin Feige Scrapped a Marvel/Star Wars Crossover Episode
What If...? director Bryan Andrews reveals that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige rejected a pitch for a Marvel/Star Wars crossover episode.
10 Sci-Fi Universes Cooler Than Star Wars
Star Wars has developed a loyal fanbase who would love to visit a galaxy far, far away, but there are a few other sci-fi worlds that are even cooler.
The Top 30 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time
From galaxies far, far away to dark (and darker) futures on Earth, here are the 20 greatest sci-fi films ever made.
10 Star Wars Legends Comics That Would Make Great Animated TV Series
With comics like Legacy and Knights of the Old Republic to choose from, there are a lot of Legends stories that Star Wars could revive in animation.
2:32
Star Wars: Anakin Skywalker Had a Better Apprentice Before Ahsoka Tano
Mike Chen's Star Wars: Brotherhood novel confirmed that Anakin Skywalker had another Jedi apprentice before Ahsoka Tano came into his life.
10 Best Star Wars Legends Villains, Ranked
Some of these unforgettable Star Wars Legends villains are so popular that they have either inspired new characters or joined Disney's new canon.
John Wick's Chad Stahelski Reveals Which Blockbuster Franchises He'd Love to 'Take a Swing At'
John Wick director Chad Stahelski reveals the two blockbuster franchises he wouldn't mind taking a crack at should an offer come his way.
10 Fictional Schools More Dangerous Than Hogwarts
The Harry Potter movies were often mocked for how dangerous Hogwarts was, but it was arguably safer than other, deadlier movie schools.
Star Wars Outlaws Narrative Director Breaks Down Game's Core Environments
Navid Khavari reveals the various intergalactic and seedy settings one might visit in Star Wars Outlaws and how they contribute to the game's appeal.
Star Wars Director Teases Daisy Ridley’s ‘Special’ New Movie
Daisy Ridley's Star Wars movie gets some added hype from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
The 10 Rarest Star Wars Toys (& How Much They Cost)
Vintage Star Wars toys from the original trilogy are some of the most expensive, elusive action figures in the world.
10 Star Wars Legends Materials That Would Make Great Animated Movies
From Heir to the Empire to the Darth Bane trilogy, there are many Star Wars Legends stories that would make incredible animated movies.
Why Ezra Bridger’s Lightsaber-Blaster Was Never Seen Again
Ezra Bridger’s makeshift lightsaber uses a unique hilt design featuring a stun blaster mechanism, but the design has never been seen since Rebels.
Does Harry Potter Need its Own Young Jedi Adventures?
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures comes with revelations about fandoms, conjuring up intriguing new possibilities for the Harry Potter series.
10 Very Controversial Hollywood Movies In The Last Five Years
From underwhelming franchise films to insensitive biopics about complicated celebrities, these are Hollywood's most controversial films since 2018.
20 Essential Star Wars: Rebels Episodes To Watch Before Ahsoka
Star Wars Rebels kicked off Disney's version of the galaxy far, far away. Rebels is also essential to Ahsoka's series on Disney+.
10 Most Influential Twi'leks in Star Wars, Ranked
Star Wars' Twi'leks have become one of the most influential species in the series. But from Aayla Secura to Hera Syndulla, which one is the best?
How the Vietnam War Inspired George Lucas' Star Wars Vision
Star Wars' original trilogy took concepts from classic movies and placed them in space, but one of its largest inspirations was the Vietnam War.
10 Star Wars Canon Books & Comics That Would Make Great Animated Movies
Star Wars has always been a multimedia franchise and there are plenty of books and comics that deserve a spotlight in animation.