“Star Wars” mastermind George Lucas has finally revealed why the beloved character Yoda’s speech was charmingly disjointed and out of sequence.
Voiced by Frank Oz, Yoda shared nuggets of wisdom but in a unique way. “The greatest teacher, failure is,” “Much to learn, you still have,” and “When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not,” are some of his iconic lines. For decades, fans have wondered why Yoda delivered his sentences in that manner, but Lucas has now broken his silence.
Speaking at an anniversary screening of the 1980s “Empire Strikes Back” this week, Lucas explained that he wanted to ensure that the alien’s profound messages really landed with audiences.
“Because if you speak regular English, people won’t listen that much,” Lucas said at the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival, according to Variety. “But if he had an accent, or it’s really hard to understand what he’s saying, they focus on what he’s saying.”
Lucas added that Yoda was “basically the philosopher of the movie.”
“I had to figure out a way to get people to actually listen — especially 12-year-olds,” he said.
During the conversation, Lucas also shared that the studio initially hesitated to support “Star Wars,” even delaying agreement on his deal memo. He revealed that he offered to write, direct and produce the film for $50,000 but insisted on securing the rights to sequels, knowing he intended to make them regardless of the film’s success. He also added another contract condition that would have a profound impact on both his career and the entertainment industry.
“They talked to themselves, and they went, ‘He’s never going to be able to do that. It takes them a billion dollars and a year to make a toy or make anything. There’s no money in that at all.'”
Frustrated with Fox’s lack of promotion for “Star Wars,” Lucas launched a grassroots campaign to build excitement. He organized efforts like having kids promote the movie at places like Disneyland and Comic Cons, an early glimpse into the future of fan-driven marketing. It paid off when the film’s opening day saw lines of fans.
Over the weekend, Lucas was also present to honor Francis Ford Coppola as he received the 50th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in Hollywood.
“You rounded up a bunch of young film students, and we moved to San Francisco, hoping to beat the system. And we did,” Lucas told the acclaimed filmmaker, according to Vanity Fair. “We had no rules. We wrote them — with you holding the pen. Thank you for creating an era of filmmakers who loved the movies.”
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