The Phantom Menace: Fox Warned Lucas A Young Anakin Would Ruin Franchise

Years after his prequel trilogy was in cinemas, a lot of information is hitting the web regarding George Lucas' Episodes I-III. With a new book, The Star Wars Archives (1999-2005) being readied, it looks like we're getting more details about the inner workings of those three movies. Today it was revealed that the executives at Fox warned Lucas about using a young Anakin Skywalker in the films. They told him that a pre-teen Anakin would "ruin the franchise". Jake Lloyd played the character in the The Phantom Menace with Hayden Christensen taking over as the teenage version for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Despite their worries, Lucas remained steadfast in his decision and still made what many consider to be one of the worst of the entire saga. 

In the book, Lucas recalls what they said, "You're going to destroy the franchise. You're going to destroy everything!" He also stated that the crew on Episode I said he was "making a movie no one wants to see". He ultimately remained steadfast in his creative decisions and made the movies he really wanted to make, because that's what creatives do. He did admit that if he would made Anakin 15 years old and Padme 18 years old in The Phantom Menace it would have been way more marketable to general audiences. Although the movies would have been critiqued more positively that way, he knew the story he wanted to tell and thought it would have more dramatic effect to see Anakin leaving his mother on his home planet of Tatooine. 

Over the years the prequel trilogy does seem to get more love from the fandom as a whole. 

The book will be available for purchase on December 13th and is up for pre-order now. 

-CG