Star Wars is undoubtedly one of the biggest media franchises in the world. With three trilogies, multiple spin-offs, and numerous live-action and animated shows, the franchise, created by George Lucas, continues to grow.
The series began in 1977 with the release of the eponymous film, which was later titled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. A prequel trilogy, starting with Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace in 1999, was released.
The question of why did George Lucas start Star Wars with Episode 4 and not with Episode 1 has lingered in the viewers’ minds for years. Especially when Lucas always had a prequel storyline in mind and introduced various concepts in the 1977 film without explanation, which were later established in the 1999 film.
There were technical and storytelling reasons behind the filmmaker’s unusual choice. But that does not start with Episode 4, which helped George Lucas build a richer and more immersive galaxy and made the movie easier to produce.
Why did George Lucas start Star Wars with Episode 4?
George Lucas originally planned Star Wars as one massive epic story. The script's early drafts included enough material for multiple movies, including the stories that eventually became the prequels and sequels.
His plan included six main chapters, which also had the potential for further films. However, turning this grand idea into reality was not easy for him. At the time, Lucas did not have the money, technology, or studio support to materialize the entire plan, especially after the failure of his previous film, THX 1138.
Hence, Lucas thought of breaking the plot into smaller pieces. He decided to focus on his script's first act, which became A New Hope's foundation. This part introduced Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and the Rebel Alliance.
The film had a self-contained story that could stand independently if no sequels were made. Lucas was unsure if the film would be a success and hence wanted to tell a standalone story that could also lead to sequels.
By starting with Episode 4, Lucas gave audiences an exciting entry into his vast galaxy without overloading them with too much backstory. Additionally, he chose to begin the franchise with A New Hope due to technical reasons, as revealed by author Michael Kaminski in his book The Secret History of Star Wars:
“Lucas had a massive, expensive epic on his hands, and divided the story into three separate films. He had also developed a backstory for his elaborate tale, which together totaled six chapters, and sought to make Episode IV first, due to technical and storytelling reasons.”
“When the film by some miracle went into production, it was beset by problems of all kinds, and Lucas was sure it would be a failure—and was shocked when it became the biggest sensation of the year.”
George Lucas wanted to create a world that felt real in Star Wars
One of George Lucas’ main goals was to make the galaxy far, far away feel alive by giving it a rich history. In many science-fiction movies of the 1970s, the visuals looked too futuristic to feel real. Lucas wanted Star Wars to be different.
He wanted viewers to feel like they were stepping into the middle of a lived-in universe, not the start of one. To achieve this, Lucas filled Episode 4 with references to untold past events and concepts, like the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire.
These hints generated curiosity among fans and made the galaxy seem bigger than what was shown on screen. Viewers wondered about the history behind these references, which Lucas could later explore in the prequels.
Starting Star Wars with Episode 4 was a gamble that paid off
Even though George Lucas had ambitious plans for a multi-film saga, his priority was to make the first film successful. He was so unsure about the film’s fate that he spent a week after its release vacationing in Hawaii to avoid any bad news.
Instead, the movie became a massive hit and allowed him to expand the story. Lucas's storytelling approach worked with Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. The film’s characters, action, and timeless themes grabbed the audience’s attention and hooked them.
Meanwhile, the unanswered questions about the galaxy's history left them asking for more. The first film’s success paved the way for The Empire Strikes Back (Episode 5) and Return of the Jedi (Episode 6), as well as the prequel trilogy that explained how the galaxy ended up in chaos.
Lucas later added the ‘Episode IV’ subtitle to the first film in 1981, after The Empire Strikes Back was introduced as ‘Episode V.’ The numbering system hinted at the multiple movies that would be made later.
It also showed that A New Hope was never meant to be the beginning of the story. Instead, it was the middle chapter that introduced the primary characters and set up the larger conflicts of the galaxy.
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Hence, starting Star Wars with Episode 4 may seem strange initially, but George Lucas made a smart move. By focusing on the most exciting part of his story, he made a movie that could hook audiences and stand on it while also opening the doors for possible sequels and prequels.
The Star Wars films can be streamed on Disney+.
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