George Lucas Calls ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ “Beautifully Made”

Back in 2012, George Lucas departed the franchise that he started in 1977 and remained the major creative force behind. While the filmmaker may no longer have a major role in the Star Wars saga, he still has a vested interest in the galaxy he created. According to sources close to Lucas, his response to The Last Jedi is that it was “beautifully made.”

Lucas’ representative Connie Wethington also revealed to The Hollywood Reporter, “In speaking with director Rian Johnson after viewing was complimentary.”

Given that Johnson also wrote the film, it was clearly a very personal project, so getting the approval from the series’ creator must mean a lot.

The overall trajectory of the Skywalker saga is different from what Lucas had originally envisioned, causing Mark Hamill to reveal he wished Disney had stuck closer to the creator’s original vision.

“What I wish is that they had been more accepting of his guidance and advice,” Hamill told Metro. “Because he had an outline for [Episodes] VII, VIII andIX. And it is vastly different to what they have done.”

This isn’t to say that Hamill is unhappy with the direction that the saga has taken, as he is well-aware of how successful the new films have been.

“But then again, I don’t want to be an old stick in the mud,” Hamill confessed. “There were the originals. There’s the prequels. But that’s all George. And now we have the next generation. And as far as I can see they are more popular than ever.”

Lucas might not have active involvement in the franchise anymore, but Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed he has been known to offer input here and there.

When Entertainment Weekly asked if Lucas stays involved, Kennedy explained, “Not really,” while noting, “But he’ll whisper in my ear every now and then. Usually it’s something specific or important to him about Jedi training. Things like that.”

“I think he’s starting to settle into this and just be a fan,” she added. “It’s taken a while. It’s hard to let go, after 40 years. That’s a lot of expectation and things he thought a lot about. Suddenly that next generation, that whole thematic idea he came up with, is in process.”

The next installment in the series, The Last Jedi, hits theaters Friday.

[H/T The Hollywood Reporter]