Only the Most Loyal George Lucas Fans Would’ve Noticed Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Sneaky Tribute to His $115 Million 1973 Epic

Created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is a series that takes place in the same time frame as The Mandalorian and its interconnected spin-offs after the events of the movie Return of the Jedi. The show premiered with two episodes, which follows four kids from the mysterious planet of At Attin who find themselves lost in the Star Wars galaxy after discovering they are on their home planet.

The show follows their adventurous journey to return home. Co-creator Christopher Ford noted that the tone they’ve set for the show is an adventure, as they aimed to make it an enjoyable series but also containing danger. Jude Law stars alongside Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and more. What’s interesting is how the Star Wars project pays tribute to the man who is the reason why this entire world of epic science opera exists.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew pays tribute to George Lucas’ work

Filmmaker and philanthropist George Lucas is considered one of the most significant figures of the 20th-century New Hollywood movement. He created the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and is well-respected in the industry. Lucas’ work is remembered and appreciated by the critics and the audience to date, making him one of history’s most financially successful filmmakers.

Recently released Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, featured references, callbacks abound, and a very special tribute to Lucas. CBR noted that after Disney acquired Lucasfilm, they were quick to distance themselves from the prequels and focus solely on the original three films. However, over time there has been a shift in how the studios perceive the prequels, and Skeleton Crew is one such example.

According to Collider, in the episode, Fern, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and KB, played by Kyriana Kratter, gripe about the upcoming race. However, in the meantime, another kid named Bonjj Phalfa comes to chastise them.

Bonjj Phalfa, played by Shane Almagor, is one of Fern’s bullies who mocks her for not being a good racer. The appearance of Bonjj Phalfa is significant to the fact that it is an Easter egg from one of George Lucas’ 1973 movies, American Graffiti. The movie was directed by Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, and featured Harrison Ford as Bob Falfa. The movie went on to gross about $115 Million at the box office.

In another scene on Port Borgo, KB visits an adorable creature in the cage: Fuzzball. During the New Republic Era, the pirates captured and caged Fuzzball and other members of his species. KB’s visit to him at Borgo Prime and having a friendly moment speaks a lot.

During a clash with the Pirate Crew, KB’s droid companion throws a Warthog attacker into a pet shop. It knocks over the cages inside and frees Fuzzball and his members.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premiered with two episodes and has been received well by the audience and the critics. The Easter eggs, references, and a tribute to George Lucas make the ardent fan of Star Wars emotional.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew creators talk about turning the clock back to George Lucas’ days

In a recent conversation with The Washington Post, creators of Skeleton Crew, Jon Watts, and Christopher Ford, shared they went ahead to watch the same thing including some 1930s films to create the same experience for the show. George Lucas was inspired by the Western as well as Akira Kurosawa’s samurai movies for Star Wars. Ford further shared,

You don’t want to try to just copy ‘Star Wars’ directly. You want to try to recreate the processes that George Lucas employed to create Star Wars.

The creators revealed that they had worked with Lucasfilm design artists to create an apt aesthetic for the show, adding that they used stop-motion animation. Watts mentioned that Lucasfilm does not come with a guideline or a rule book that one has to follow, but it’s more about trying to capture the vibe and aesthetic of Star Wars a little.

It’s an emotional thing. It’s like a feeling.

Ford agreed by stating that it’s not about the rules but upholding a tradition that they aimed for when it comes to the show.

Watts and Ford also reached out to Star Wars collaborators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau for advice. Jude Law also added that the entire filmmaking process for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew required a different approach. He noted that there is no rule book but a lot of it does relate back to what Lucas did years ago.

Skeleton Crew is the first series in the Star Wars canon to put a major focus on a group of kids. The series is considered a bold Star Wars entry from Lucasfilm with the same ambition as what George Lucas accomplished with the prequels.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming on Disney+.