Devotion and Disillusionment: Why Denis Villeneuve Is No Longer a Star Wars Fan

Denis Villeneuve, the renowned director who set a new standard in the sci-fi genre with Dune and Dune: Part Two, recently shared his perspective on the legendary Star Wars franchise.

Lost childhood illusions

Villeneuve admitted that he was an ardent fan of "Star Wars" since childhood. His fascination began with the first film of George Lucas, which grew into a real obsession after the release of "The Empire Strikes Back". "I was amazed when I saw this film on the big screen. It was like a magical revelation, " he recalled.

"The Ewoks looked like a comedy for kids, and it really disappointed me and my friend. We even wanted to go to Los Angeles and talk to George Lucas in person, " shared Villeneuve.

Turning Point: "Return of the Jedi"

However, the release of "Return of the Jedi" in 1983 became a crisis moment for the young Villeneuve. According to him, then the franchise lost the depth and unpredictability that distinguished it. He was especially disappointed by the Ewoks, whom he considered too childish. Later, the director realized that he no longer dreams of working on "Star Wars", because he feels that he is no longer their target audience.

The new era of "Star Wars"

Despite the criticism, "Star Wars" continues to evolve. New projects have already been announced, such as James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi and Sharmeen Obeid-Chinoy's Star Wars: The New Jedi Order. Although the latter faces some challenges, including changes in writers, fans still have hope for new surprises.

Villeneuve: focus on "Dune"

Despite the disappointment in "Star Wars", Villeneuve does not lose motivation and continues to work on his "Dune". The third part promises to immerse the audience even deeper into the worlds of Frank Herbert, demonstrating that complex material can be turned into an exciting movie.

Editor: Emiliia Morozova