Summary

• George Lucas defends the Star Wars prequels, calling them kids' movies and explaining the criticism was due to a misunderstanding of the target audience.
• Characters like C-3PO, Ewoks, and Jar Jar Binks faced harsh criticism for being too childlike, but were intentionally included for kids.
• The Star Wars prequel trilogy has seen a resurgence as fans who grew up watching them now appreciate elements included for their younger selves.

After its debut 25 years ago with Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, George Lucas has spoken out in defense of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, providing context for why it was so criticized up until recent years. It's been hard to ignore the renaissance of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, especially with the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace and the Star Wars TV show The Acolyte, which will serve as a prequel to the prequels. Now, Lucas himself has stepped in to provide his thoughts, shining a light on why the trilogy was once so criticized.

While speaking to THR, Lucas insists that the prequel trilogy - and Star Wars in general - "was supposed to be a kid's movie." He specifically cites children who were just beginning to make sense of the world around them, and how Lucas aimed to help them answer questions such as "What's important in life?" with his Star Wars movies. While Lucas its they're "buried in there," he's still confident that "you definitely get it," and that the younger audience has an even easier time understanding it.

It was supposed to be a kid’s movie for 12-year-olds that were going through puberty, who don’t know what they’re doing, and are asking all the big questions: What should I be worried about? What’s important in life? And Star Wars has all those things in there. They’re buried in there but you definitely get it, especially if you’re young.

Lucas goes on to reveal that this is why characters like C-3PO, the Ewoks, and Jar Jar Binks have long since fallen under harsh criticism. They were all deemed too childlike when, in reality, that was Lucas' goal all along. The characters he made were meant to appeal to children, because Star Wars has "always been a kids’ movie." This disconnect, then, seems to be the biggest reason why the prequel trilogy in particular was misunderstood for so long.

Everybody said the same thing about 3P0, that he was irritating and we should get rid of him. When I did the third one it was the Ewoks: 'Those are little teddy bears. This is a kid’s movie, we don’t want to see a kids’ movie.' I said: 'It is a kids’ movie. It’s always been a kids’ movie.'

George Lucas Just Confirmed Why The Prequels Have Aged So Well

The Children Of The Prequels Have Grown Up & Shown Their Appreciation

This is very much the reason why the Star Wars prequel trilogy has had something of a renaissance in the past few years. The children who were raised on the prequels are now grown-up, and they're sharing the love they have for the elements of the movies that Lucas included intentionally for them. When they were still just children, they couldn't lend their voices to be heard above those of the critics and other adult consumers. Now, however, they can make their voices heard - and they are certainly being listened to.

The children he made these movies for are now proving that these movies truly did, and will always continue to, make a difference in their lives.

The success of Darth Maul, is nearly inescapable as viewers parade around the iconic figures of their childhoods. This is the long game Lucas has always been playing with Star Wars; the children he made these movies for are now proving that these movies truly did, and will always continue to, make a difference in their lives.

All Star Wars movies and TV shows are available to stream on Disney+

Source: THR