Steven Spielberg never directed a Star Wars movie . WHY?

Steven Allan Spielberg is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era and one of the most popular directors and producers in film history. Spielberg started in Hollywood directing television and several minor theatrical releases.

Friendship and bonds

Due to his friendship with George Lucas and filmmaking sensibilities, Steven Spielberg has always had a loose association with the Star Wars franchise even though he wasn’t being credited on any of the movies. The exceptional director first started directing movies as a kid before his professional career took off in the early ’70s. In 1975, Spielberg created the first summer blockbuster with the release of Jaws.

The reason behind Spielberg’s rejection

The same went for the final film of the trilogy, Return of the Jedi, in 1983. When the movie was under construction, Spielberg was Lucas’ first preference for the director but an issue arose. Spielberg being a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) at the time lead to complications as The DGA was unhappy with the fact that Lucasfilm didn’t use opening credits, so they refused to allow members to work on Return of the Jedi. The film was then directed by Richard Marquand, a filmmaker not associated with the DGA.

Loss of Intrest

At one point, Spielberg had shown interest in directing an installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy but Lucas felt more comfortable at the helm. Spielberg was actually the one to suggest J.J. Abrams for The Force Awakens. Then once When Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was out of a director, there was speculation that Spielberg could step in, but the urge to direct a film in the franchise seems to have passed. Spielberg sees himself more as a fan rather than a fit for the franchise his friend once created.

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