Before Ron Howard agreed to become the replacement director on Solo: A Star Wars Story, he asked George Lucas for some advice. What Lucas said is sure to ruffle the feathers of some Star Wars fans, but there’s a lot of truth to it. In an interview with Vulture, Howard reflected on the unusual circumstances that brought him to Solo, the spinoff initially helmed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The Oscar-winning director recalled a conversation he had with Lucas, who made a point to remind Howard who the franchise’s primary target audience is.
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“I talked to him once early, when I was just thinking about doing it,” Howard said. “He wasn’t active on the films, but he said, “Just don’t forget — it’s for 12-year-old boys.’”
From the beginning, Lucas has always kept Star Wars’ younger viewers in mind. One of the reasons why Yoda speaks in his distinct manner is so people — “especially 12-year-olds,” Lucas said — pay attention to what he is saying. Lucas also wasn’t overly concerned about backlash surrounding Jar Jar Binks because he knew that the kids who grew up with the prequels and loved Jar Jar would eventually pass that admiration to their own children. Ahmed Best called Lucas a “futurist” for having that foresight.
Unfortunately, Lucas’ advice didn’t help Solo so much. Though the spinoff earned generally positive reviews, it became the first Star Wars film to bomb at the box office; the unprecedented issues behind the scenes proved too much to overcome. After Solo flopped, Disney slowed down development of future Star Wars movies. Next year’s The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the property’s first new film since 2019.
Star Wars has always had a timeless, multi-generational appeal, and there are projects that show a more mature approach can be extremely effective in the right circumstances (Star Wars: Andor being perhaps the best example of that). So Star Wars isn’t strictly just for kids, but Lucas always intended kids to be the primary demographic first and foremost. The original Star Wars movie was conceived as a fairy tale designed to immerse younger viewers in a fantastical world with memorable characters, creative creature designs, and exciting action. He knew it was important to capture the imagination of children, and it’s what helped propel Star Wars to become a global phenomenon.
An argument can be made that other Hollywood franchises have lost sight of Lucas’ guiding principle. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has struggled at the box office in recent years, and some people believe it’s because the movies aren’t as appealing to kids as they once were. Again, there’s a lot of nuance to this conversation. Not everything has to be presented in PG-rated wrapping to become a hit. Andor earned universal acclaim in part because it mixed things up so much. But movies, which rely heavily on box office grosses, are a different story. For something to become a true four-quadrant smash, kids need to be onboard with the program as well.
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