Buzz
Numerous iconic visuals from the Star Wars films initially differed significantly from the beloved versions we know today. Explore 10 of the most peculiar early renditions of characters and plot points that are sure to surprise you.
10. Jabba the Hutt as a Human
Jabba the Hutt, the slimy alien seen in Return of the Jedi, is one of the most recognizable creatures in the Star Wars universe. However, his original concept was vastly different. George Lucas had written Jabba into the script for A New Hope, but due to technical and budget limitations, the character was portrayed by actor Declan Mulholland.
As seen in the video above, Lucas filmed a short scene where Jabba confronts Han Solo in a Tatooine hangar. Mulholland was dressed in bulky attire to give him a more alien appearance. This footage, however, was ultimately cut from the final version of A New Hope.
However, the humanoid version of Jabba persisted in the Marvel Comics adaptation of Star Wars. The comic artists followed Lucas’s initial character notes, portraying Jabba as a slender, walrus-like alien. This depiction, among other inconsistencies in the original Marvel series, is considered noncanonical, especially since other script drafts describe Jabba as a large, slug-like creature.
Lucas had to wait until Return of the Jedi to bring Jabba to life on screen but didn’t abandon his inclusion in A New Hope. When the special editions of the original trilogy were released, Lucas reinserted Jabba into A New Hope, replacing Mulholland with a CGI version of the character, which disappointed many fans. Interestingly, in 1977, Lucas nearly cast William Hootkins as Jabba. Although Hootkins didn’t get the role, he still appeared in A New Hope as the portly X-wing pilot Jek Porkins, who tragically perished during the Death Star assault.
9. Han’s Death in The Empire Strikes Back
Following the unexpected triumph of the first Star Wars movie, Lucas started developing its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. Recognizing the need for a darker and more emotional tone, Lucas brought in renowned director Ivan Kershner. While the production was on track, Harrison Ford appeared reluctant to commit to another Star Wars installment.
In the original draft of The Empire Strikes Back, Han and Chewbacca manage to flee Cloud City while evading Darth Vader. However, since Ford hadn’t agreed to a third film, both Kershner and Lucas assumed he might not return. To address this uncertainty, Kershner revised the script to include the memorable carbon-freezing sequence. This provided flexibility: if Ford didn’t return, Han could be written out, but if he did, the characters could find a way to rescue him.
Ford reprised his role for the third installment, where the carbon-freezing sequence emerged as one of the most iconic moments in the series. Despite this, Ford remained unenthusiastic about portraying Han Solo, claiming the role had lost its appeal due to his character's romantic involvement with Princess Leia. In a 2010 interview, he reiterated his dissatisfaction, even suggesting he wished Lucas had written his character out. However, with a new Star Wars film releasing in December 2015, Ford appeared to have shifted his perspective.
8. C-3PO: The Unlikely Car Salesman
Initial versions of Star Wars lacked C-3PO and R2-D2, though they eventually became central to the narrative. While R2-D2's traits were straightforward, Lucas struggled to define C-3PO's personality. The droid's neutral facial design was intentional, enabling audiences to project their own emotions onto it. This led Lucas to initially consider a mime for the part.
After the mime proved unsuitable, Lucas turned to Shakespearean actor Anthony Daniels. The early voice and behavior of C-3PO were markedly different, with Lucas envisioning him as a slick car salesman sporting a heavy Bronx accent. Daniels persuaded Lucas to adopt a more delicate, fussy demeanor for the character. Ironically, C-3PO later appeared in Mitsubishi advertisements in Japan, effectively fulfilling Lucas's original car salesman concept.
7. The Original Ending of Return of the Jedi Was Much Bleaker
The Empire Strikes Back was a massive box office success, prompting Lucas to start drafting the next chapter in the saga. However, Return of the Jedi marked the onset of tensions between Lucas and his cast and crew.
As previously noted, Harrison Ford was hesitant about reprising his role. Additionally, the production team faced challenges. Ivan Kershner developed a story treatment for the film, which producer Gary Kurtz supported, pushing for a more emotionally resonant and mature conclusion to the series. Lucas ultimately chose a different direction, leading to the departure of both Kershner and Kurtz from the Star Wars project.
The initial version of Return of the Jedi was far gloomier than the final cut. While drafting the script, Ford agreed to return, but Kurtz insisted on Han Solo's death. In this draft, Han Solo perished midway through the film during an assault on an Imperial base.
Kurtz objected to the inclusion of a second Death Star, deeming it unoriginal, though his version still concluded with a massive space battle. The Rebel Alliance emerged victorious, but the ending was tinged with sorrow. The Rebel Fleet endured heavy losses, and Leia assumed the role of queen. With Han Solo gone and Leia in power, Luke Skywalker would “vanish into obscurity,” stepping away from public life.
As revisions were made, the darker elements were softened. However, an alternate script featured a different fate for Luke Skywalker. In this version, the ending closely mirrored the final film, but after defeating the Emperor and removing Vader’s mask, Luke placed it on his own face, declaring himself the successor to Darth Vader. Lucas deemed this too grim, opting instead for the jubilant celebration that concludes Return of the Jedi.
6. Han Solo: The Green-Skinned Extraterrestrial
Han Solo stands as one of the most legendary figures in the franchise, undergoing numerous transformations during the development of Star Wars. Initially, George Lucas envisioned the protagonist with an extraterrestrial companion, crafting Han Solo as a towering, green-skinned creature with gills. While Lucas was fond of the concept of Han being an alien or monster, he ultimately opted for a human character to foster better connections with others. Chewbacca then assumed the role of the alien companion.
The shift to a human Han wasn't the only alteration to his persona. In the second draft, Han was depicted as a rugged, bearded figure. Lucas also explored the possibility of selecting an African American actor for Han Solo before finalizing the character's portrayal seen in the movie.
Harrison Ford wasn't the first choice for Han Solo. Lucas was determined to feature fresh faces and had previously collaborated with Ford on American Graffiti. Ford initially assisted by reading lines to actors auditioning for Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Lucas had a roster of potential actors for Han Solo, including Kurt Russell. However, he ultimately chose Harrison Ford, and the outcome became cinematic legend.
5. Luke Skywalker: Originally an Elderly General
In the early drafts of Star Wars, Luke Skywalker was a far cry from the character we know today. Initially, Luke was portrayed as an aged general and Jedi Master, resembling the role later filled by Obi-Wan Kenobi. He wasn’t the protagonist either; that role belonged to Annikin Starkiller, the son of Kane Starkiller. The duo spent much of the script evading the ruthless Knights of Sith.
Following the death of Annikin’s brother at the hands of the knights, Kane sought out General Skywalker to train his son. Luke, who was tasked with guarding the royal family of Aquilae, dedicated much of the film to mentoring Annikin. Meanwhile, Kane embarked on bizarre escapades alongside the green-skinned Han Solo.
The initial screenplay included peculiar storylines centered around General Skywalker. Midway through the film, Annikin developed a romantic interest in a woman from Aquilae, provoking Luke to the point of attempting to kill him. The original script also concluded with a spaceship assault on an Imperial stronghold, targeting an evil castle, with the pilots being Wookiees trained by General Skywalker.
While many of these elements were omitted from the final cut of A New Hope, Luke Skywalker ultimately became the main character. Interestingly, some of these plot ideas resurfaced in subsequent Star Wars films.
4. The Ewoks Were Initially Conceived as Wookiees
Opinions on Ewoks vary—some find them adorable, while others consider them the most irritating part of the original Star Wars trilogy. However, had Lucas stuck to his initial concept, the Ewoks would have been far more intimidating and impressive. Originally, the Ewoks were envisioned as Wookiees (Chewbacca’s species), and in Return of the Jedi, they were depicted as launching a full-scale assault on an Imperial base, equipped with tanks and laser cannons.
The Wookiees were trained by the protagonists and even mastered piloting spacecraft. However, as Chewbacca’s character became more tech-savvy, Lucas revised the storyline, introducing the Ewoks to create a Vietnam War parallel, where a less advanced culture triumphed over the Empire’s technological superiority.
In an alternate script version, Ewoks were paired with a species known as Yuzzums. Lucas had contemplated including the Yuzzums as a secondary species on Endor to replace the Wookiees. These creatures were furry but significantly taller than Ewoks, necessitating the use of stilts by the actors. During preproduction, the team even considered hiring Venezuelan stilt performers to operate the puppets. Ultimately, Lucas decided to scrap the Yuzzums and focus exclusively on the Ewoks.
3. Splinter of the Mind’s Eye
While creating A New Hope, George Lucas couldn’t have predicted the film’s monumental cultural impact. He had plans for the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, but it required a significantly larger budget from the studio.
To prepare for potential budget constraints, Lucas commissioned a backup script for a low-budget sequel to A New Hope. Alan Dean Foster, who had ghostwritten the novelization of A New Hope, was chosen to draft this contingency screenplay, resulting in the peculiar Splinter of the Mind’s Eye.
Splinter featured a straightforward plot with some unusual elements. The story revolved around Leia and Luke, who crash-landed on the planet Mimban during a diplomatic mission. There, they encountered an elderly woman named Halla, who offered to guide them to the “kaiburr crystal,” a device that amplified Force abilities. With Darth Vader and the Imperials also pursuing the crystal, the narrative unfolded as a classic adventure tale, culminating in a duel between Luke and Vader over the crystal.
What makes Splinter particularly bizarre is that many aspects of the Star Wars universe were still undefined when Foster wrote the script. This led to awkward romantic tension between Luke and Leia, as Lucas hadn’t yet revealed they were siblings. The book even included scenes where they flirted and engaged in a mud-wrestling match.
The story notably excluded Han Solo and Chewbacca, as Harrison Ford hadn’t committed to a sequel at the time. In Splinter, Luke displayed exceptional lightsaber skills, surpassing his abilities in The Empire Strikes Back, and even defeated Vader by severing his arms.
Fortunately, A New Hope became a box office hit, rendering the Splinter script unnecessary. Lucas adapted the script into a novel, marking the first entry in the official Star Wars Expanded Universe. Over the years, fans have grappled with the story’s unconventional and canon-defying elements.
2. Yoda Was Initially Portrayed by a Monkey
Frank Oz was the puppeteer and voice behind Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. The creation of Yoda's final look was a lengthy process, with numerous design iterations. Initial sketches depicted Yoda as a gnome-like figure with distinctly different facial features. Even as the design was finalized, George Lucas remained undecided on how to bring Yoda to life in The Empire Strikes Back. While puppets were a natural choice, Lucas also entertained the idea of using a masked, trained monkey for the role.
For years, the Star Wars community buzzed with whispers about a monkey portraying Yoda. The truth was unveiled in 2010 when J.W. Rinzler, in his book about The Empire Strikes Back, confirmed these speculations. However, it wasn't until 2013 that images emerged, revealing the potential appearance of this simian Yoda.
The identity of the monkey considered for Yoda remains a mystery, as Lucas has never disclosed its name. Photographs reveal the monkey dressed in silver attire, complete with a mask resembling the Yoda puppet. Trainers had even taught the monkey to carry and walk with a cane.
Thankfully, reason won out. A Lucasfilm employee, with experience from 2001: A Space Odyssey, highlighted the challenges of monkey training. This insight led Lucas to opt for the more conventional puppet approach, shelving the monkey concept before it could move beyond preproduction.
1. R2-D2's Dialogue Was Originally in English
The charm of the compact droid R2-D2 lies in his distinctive electronic chatter. The sound team crafted many of these noises using their own vocalizations. Interestingly, in the initial script of Star Wars, R2-D2 communicated in English, transforming his interactions with C-3PO into a dialogue-driven comedy rather than the physical humor seen in the final cut.
For those curious about R2-D2's dialogue in the film, the original script offers some insight. Just as finicky as C-3PO, R2-D2 was portrayed as a cantankerous droid, frequently deriding C-3PO with cutting remarks. Had this version been retained, R2-D2 might not have become the beloved character he is today.
The evolution of R2-D2's design is also noteworthy. Early concepts featured him with two small arms protruding from his head, capable of handling objects. In one of Ralph McQuarrie’s preliminary drawings, R2-D2 was depicted moving on a single ball bearing. This idea appears to have inspired J.J. Abrams and his team in creating BB-8, the spherical droid featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
