DBWI: George Lucas Quits Directing After "Star Wars"

After the release of his massive hit "Star Wars," George Lucas considered giving up directing. He hated the pressures of making "Star Wars," and making films only as a producer and writer seemed like an attractive option. But Lucas wanted to maintain creative control of his films, so he continued directing after "Star Wars."

But what if Lucas had quit directing movies and continued in the film business as only a producer and writer?
 
In one interview, didn’t George wistfully mention “experimental films”?

Now, likely some of these will fall flat on their face and fail in interesting ways. But some might turn out really good. :)
 
In one interview, didn’t George wistfully mention “experimental films”?

Now, likely some of these will fall flat on their face and fail in interesting ways. But some might turn out really good. :)

I think Lucas had already moved on from "experimental films" by the time he made American Graffiti. I think if he quit directing then the world would've lost a major creative force as Lucas focuses on making money instead of quality entertainment.

Would The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi have turned out any differently without Lucas in the director's chair?
 
Would The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi have turned out any differently without Lucas in the director's chair?
The script for Jedi already had Luke Skywalker defeating the Emperor’s palace guard in a very strategic way.

And even with Lucas not directing himself, it would still be largely the same.

And Jedi would still be 80% new story and new conflict and only 20% wrap up. I don’t see that changing either.
 
IMHO the absolute best film of the series, Empire Strikes Back, Lucas did not direct. Irvin Kershner directed it.

This is a DBWI thread. We write posts as if the fictional scenario described in the OP had actually happened. And it's established that Lucas directed both Empire and Return of the Jedi:

Would The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi have turned out any differently without Lucas in the director's chair?
 
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