The Empire strikes again: secrets and curiosities about the second chapter of Star Wars

According to many fans, especially early-stage fans, the best chapter in the Star Wars saga is The Empire Strikes Back. The episode in which we discover the true relationship between Luke and Darth Vader, the moment when the relationship between Han and Leia becomes clear, but above all the chapter in which characters such as the Emperor, Boba Fett and Lando Carlissian appear! The Empire strikes again, which was released in Italian cinemas on September 12, 1980, as a good sequel to a successful film, had the difficult task of confirming the good feelings of the first chapter, bearing in mind that a sequel is unlikely to have the same success.

How could this be achieved?

Lucas' step back

The success ofa> Star Wars was almost a trauma for Lucas. His film quickly became a cultural phenomenon, being analyzed and vivisected also by sociologists and psychologists, who saw in his characters everyday archetypes. The idea of ​​making sequels had always been the basis of Lucas' project, but for the new chapter in the adventures of his space heroes, the director wanted to make the film independently, afraid of giving up even a minimum of creative control. to a major. To guarantee this autonomy, Lucas decided to make The Empire Strikes Again almost autonomously, using the proceeds of the first film and borrowing from banks.

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This more management effort, coupled with the growth of the immense facility that was becoming LucasFilm, led Lucas to an unexpected choice: not to direct the film. The risk was that of not dedicating the right care to the film, having to divide himself between too many commitments, and Lucas preferred to carve out the role of producer, a way to still have creative control over the evolution of his story.