Star Wars director disappointed with prequel
Film director George Lucas has said that Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace was a disappointment, it was reported today.
In a confidential marketing pitch he promised that the next installment of the space saga would have a ‘‘darker feel, closer to the original’’ and ‘‘no silly characters or kids’’.
The document, published by Newsweek magazine, also states: ‘‘The last movie did not live up to expectations.’’
Episode I - The Phantom Menace was a box office sensation and became third most successful movie of all time.
But many devoted fans of the original trilogy were disappointed by the film, which was panned for its lame plot, over-reliance on computer effects and stereotypical characters.
Lucas conceded in the marketing pitch to Hasbro that the toy line for The Phantom Menace, his first directorial effort in 22 years, was ‘‘over-licensed,’’ ‘‘over-shipped’’ and ‘‘over-saturated’’.
Ewan McGregor, who starred as the young Obi Wan Kenobi in Episode I, has already revealed he thought the film was ‘‘disappointing’’ and ‘‘flat’’.
However, he said in an interview for the FilmFour website, that the next in the series was ‘‘much better’’.
He said Attack of the Clones, which opens worldwide on May 16, aims to recapture the magic of classics Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi.
‘‘I think there’s much more humour and there’s much more colour ... it’s more reminiscent of the original three Star Wars films than Episode I was.’’
