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George Lucas vetted several options before roping in Richard Marquand to helmStar Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Some directors were not interested in directing Lucas’s epic space film, while the creator rejected a few others. One of the directors whom Lucas didn’t want for the film was theBasic Instinctdirector Paul Verhoeven.
While he was a director with a vision, Verhoeven was known for including graphic scenes depicting violence and s*xual content in his films. Lucas wasn’t impressed by these scenes in one of the director’s films and decided to look for another director.
George Lucas Didn’t Want Paul Verhoeven To DirectReturn Of The Jedi
Paul Verhoevenworked in the Dutch film industry in his earlier years before moving to Hollywood. Fans of the filmBasic Instinctwill have an idea about the kind of films that Verhoeven makes.Steven Spielbergsaw his Dutch film,Soldiers of Orange, and was impressed with his filmmaking skills.
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Spielberg didn’t seem to mind the graphic violence in the film, but that wasn’t the case when he suggested the director toGeorge Lucas. TheStar Warsdirector needed another filmmaker to take over the directing duties ofReturn of the Jedi. Irvine Kreshner, who directed the previous filmThe Empire Strikes Back, refused to return due to the long shoots.
Lucas’s first choice was theJawsdirector after having worked with him inRaiders of the Lost Ark. However, Lucas was having issues with the DGA andthe guild banned Spielberg from helminga non-guild film (via Grantland). TheSchindler’s Listdirector suggested Paul Verhoeven during this time.
Lucas had seen the director’s Dutch filmSpetters, which contained a very graphic homosexual gang r*pe scene. It might have disturbed Lucas as he quickly dismissed Spielberg’s suggestion.
During a cover story for The Guardian, Verhoeven opened up about Lucas’s rejection. He was convinced that the director was scared that he would add graphic scenes to his beloved space opera. He toldThe Guardian:
I suppose he was scared that the Jedi would immediately start f*cking each other.
Verhoeven was a controversial figure asSharon Stoneopened up about his questionable behavior during the post-production ofBasic Instinctin her memoir,The Beauty of Living Twice. She shared thatshe was shocked to see her v*gina scenewith a group of male agents and lawyers in a room.
After the embarrassing screening, she allegedly slapped Verhoeven in the face and left (via Vanity Fair). The director denied her choices when she revealed that she had options to remove the scene. However, Stone eventually chose to keep the scene in the film, only because it fit the film and her character.
David Lynch Was Also Approached For George Lucas’sReturn Of The Jedi
While George Lucas rejected Verhoeven, there were directors who turned down Lucas’s offer. The most prominent among them wasDavid Lynch. The director was nominated for the Best Director Oscar forThe Elephant Manat the time.
During an event organized byThe Hudson Union Society, Lynch shared that he had“next door to zero interest”in directing the film. Lynch knew that his vision would clash with Lucas and that the latter had the upper hand in these creative decisions. He went on to directDuneafter rejecting Lucas’s offer.
David Cronenberg also declined Lucas’s offer and he recently revealed the reason toVariety. He shared that he didn’t want to work on other people’s material at that point.
“Before Disney took over, there was peace”: 25 Years After, George Lucas’ Lowest Rated Star Wars Movie Gets Much Deserved Love From the Die Hard Fans
Richard Marquand was finally fixed as the director, but he too faced what Lynch and Cronenberg feared. He jokingly shared,“It is rather like trying to direct King Lear – with Shakespeare in the next room!”(via WhatCulture). Lucas reasoned that he had to be on set due to the director’s relative inexperience with special effects.
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jediand other films in the franchise are now available for streaming on Disney+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
