George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars saga, has often changed the film industry landscape since launching the series in 1977. Although he wrote and directed the original movie and significantly shaped the franchise, he has expressed displeasure with one particular instalment.
Among the series, Lucas dislikes The Star Wars Holiday Special, a production he considers the worst. He clarified his feelings in a comment to the Chicago Sun-Times: “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.”
The Star Wars Holiday Special was conceived following the success of the first Star Wars film. Produced to maintain audience interest between the first movie and its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, the special aired in 1978. Despite featuring main characters like Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, Luke Skywalker, and the droids, it was critically panned for its noticeable drop in quality and limited character engagement.
The Star Wars franchise, however, remains a monumental success. The films have collectively grossed $10.341 billion, a testament to their popularity and profitability. This success led Walt Disney Studios to acquire the franchise for four billion dollars in 2012, further expanding it with new films and series, including hits like Andor and The Mandalorian.
The film series includes:
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) – Directed by George Lucas.
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – Directed by Irvin Kershner.
- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) – Directed by Richard Marquand.
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) – Directed by George Lucas.
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) – Directed by George Lucas.
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) – Directed by George Lucas.
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) – Directed by J.J. Abrams.
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) – Directed by Gareth Edwards.
- Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) – Directed by Rian Johnson.
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) – Directed by Ron Howard.