What Did George Lucas Want For 'Episode VII'?

There's no denying that Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a success. The seventh installment of the popular franchise has managed to break numerous box office records — and even Director J.J. Abrams is wishing he was directing Episode VIII. However, there's one thing we, unfortunately, know for sure when it comes to the storyline and continuation of the franchise: George Lucas is not at the helm. After selling the rights of Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion in 2012, the creative control over the story was not only handed over, but taken in a completely new direction. Making Star Wars fans ask one main question: What would Episode VII be like if George Lucas was still in charge?

Unfortunately, we may never know. According to Lawrence Kasdan, one of the writers of The Force Awakens, Lucas' original intentions have mostly been kept a secret — even to him! "I don’t honestly know, and I’m telling you the truth," says Kasdan in Vulture, "When I first went to meet with them [production], George had some shortly written, brief ideas for a lot of movies, but [Episode VII] was not in that group, because they had already hired Michael Arndt to write that movie. So I was not given that movie at first, and I don’t know what the original idea was, although I think J.J. maybe heard it at some point. But he came in later, too." Wait... Did he just say that Episode VII wasn't even in consideration for Lucas? Maybe to him, but it doesn't seem like that's been the case for Lucas at all.

While J.J. Abrams has not revealed what he may or may not know about Lucas' original Episode VII intentions, Star Wars star Mark Hamill actually did give us a major clue about not only the plot that Lucas had in mind, but also major clues about what we could have expected from his character in the continuation of the franchise... Back in 1983! According to Luke Skywalker himself, Lucas actually approached him regarding a continuation of the already existing story in asking him, "'Would you consider playing an Obi Wan-type character handing Excalibur down to the next generation?'" by the famed creator. And, assuming you've already seen The Force Awakens since you're reading this, that's pretty much what we can see from Hamill's character at the end of the film. So, maybe Disney actually didn't scrap that much of what Lucas intended? Or maybe Abrams made sure they included the important stuff? It's really hard to say with such little information being publicly released.

However, either way, Lucas knows that he doesn't have control anymore. As Kasdan revealed, it was a decision originally made with trust in the power of Disney. "George said, 'We’ve come up with these ideas, but I won’t be around to do them. I’m done, I’m retiring," says Kasdan, "Kathy (Kathleen Kennedy) is taking over the company.' It was like The Godfather: 'Give Michael your trust.'" And we just have to trust that whatever has happened — and will happen — with the future of Star Wars is the way that it was destined to happen. And the original intentions are happening in another galaxy far, far away...

Images: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Motion Pictures