Han Should Have Died in Return of the Jedi, Says Harrison Ford

[Ironic Pirate]

Yyyyeah, um, Mr. Ford? You do realize that Return of the Jedi was originally going to let Lando Calrissian die in the final battle, but test audiences disliked it so much that they let him live, right? If they were that upset over Lando's potential death, how do you think the fans would feel over your own character's?

This conversation (I assume) took place before there was any kind of test audiences involved, as it didn't sound like George even wanted to film it. Therefore, unless he time-traveled into the future, and then came back, he wouldn't have known that.

And test audiences shouldn't always be listened too. There's a Cracked article somewhere about nine movies that were ruined by last minute plot changes, many suggested by test audiences.

 

[Woodsey]

I don't understand actors who do this.

Here we have successful film/series of films that shaped generations of children and adults alike but at some point after the end of the films we find out that the actor who played the beloved character of the film actually didn't like the character he/she played/wanted his character killed off.

Way for ruining my childhood Ford! Now I can't get an image of Han lying in the grass on Endor with a laser shot between his eyes and surrounded by sobbing Ewoks out of my head!!

Does the fact that he probably pulled the trigger burn just that little bit more?

OT: Indiana Jones > Han Solo (but Star Wars > Indiana Jones films, obviously).

 

[TimeLord]

Does the fact that he probably pulled the trigger burn just that little bit more?

I am slightly confused as to what you are referring to?

Do you mean the Han shot Greedo thing. Or are you referring to my image of a dead Han on Endor?

 

[Wolfenbarg]

Not sure how I feel about this. Jedi really was the weakest of the films, and something like this could have really brought some gravity to the film and made it a lot stronger, but it could have also made it way too serious and destroyed its beloved status in time.

 

[Woodsey]

Does the fact that he probably pulled the trigger burn just that little bit more?

I am slightly confused as to what you are referring to?

Do you mean the Han shot Greedo thing. Or are you referring to my image of a dead Han on Endor?

Nevermind xD

I meant because Ford dislikes Solo, so he'd have taken his own life.

 

[TimeLord]

Does the fact that he probably pulled the trigger burn just that little bit more?

I am slightly confused as to what you are referring to?

Do you mean the Han shot Greedo thing. Or are you referring to my image of a dead Han on Endor?

Nevermind xD

I meant because Ford dislikes Solo, so he'd have taken his own life.

Ahh, that indeed pretty humorous. It's too bad I am half asleep and didn't get that.

My bad

 

[2fish]

My first memory of Star wars is me liking Leia and Luke until we met Han, then I liked Han and Leia because Luke was a little whiney shit and Leia and Han got shit done.

To everyone that wanted to be a Jedi as a kid, you messed up, smuggler and sith is where it is at.

Why does my computer know Jedi but not Sith? My computer must be a fan of the new movies?!! Bad computer Bad!

 

[duchaked]

not exactly news from Ford
honestly, I don't think Han's death would've been appropriate. but that's just me

bring on the Lucas bashing...
what's done is done, like it or take a hike

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

Although I disagree with the merch-driven motives, I have to admit making Han die just to make the film 'gritty' seems like a bad idea to me. The Star Wars trilogy is supposed to be a classic tale of good versus evil, a kind of fairy tale in space. Just killing someone off because its cool seems a little pointless. We already know the Empire is evil, they blew up a peaceful civilised planet in the first film

 

[Fallen-Angel Risen-Demon]

Wasn't Ford the only actor not to have his career destroyed by the original Star Wars trilogy? Except from the main(I think) Ewok who plays/ed the midget-professor dude in the Harry Potter series and the Lepricorn in the Lepricorn movies. I can't remember his name though.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Yyyyeah, um, Mr. Ford? You do realize that Return of the Jedi was originally going to let Lando Calrissian die in the final battle, but test audiences disliked it so much that they let him live, right? If they were that upset over Lando's potential death, how do you think the fans would feel over your own character's?

Lando being the only black guy would mean the genocide of the entire black community lol.

OT: I think Hans death would have been pretty awesome.

Agreed. Since Mace died and the X-wing pilot got blown up, that makes Lando the only black man left in the Star Wars universe.

Killing Han is a no-no. If that had happened, all my favorite books would simply not exist. Granted, I think they made his character much more fun and interesting(and dark) than in the movies. Maybe Mr. Ford should read those...

 

[RDubayoo]

Okay, and exactly when would Han have died? Pointlessly getting shot outside the bunker? Pointlessly getting shot INSIDE the bunker, maybe after they planted the bombs? Oh, I know, maybe an Ewok would have gotten carried away and put an arrow in his chest. That would be a great ending.

 

[bismarck55]

while this is old news (watch the behind the scenes on the fourth disk of the Star Wars Trilogy Boxset) I agree, it would have heightened the danger and made return of the jedi a better film, because, and as a star wars nerd this is hard to say, but despite what Randal argues in Clerks, Jedi is the weakest of the original trilogy, by a huge margin. (and weaker than Revenge of the Sith)

Agreed. Episode 3 get's too much undeserved hate, just by virtue of being a prequel. The only thing that stands out as awful to me is the Obi-wan vs. Anakin duel.

Personally I rank them, from best to worst:

- V

- IV

- III

- VI

- I

- II

 

[theevilsanta]

while this is old news (watch the behind the scenes on the fourth disk of the Star Wars Trilogy Boxset) I agree, it would have heightened the danger and made return of the jedi a better film, because, and as a star wars nerd this is hard to say, but despite what Randal argues in Clerks, Jedi is the weakest of the original trilogy, by a huge margin. (and weaker than Revenge of the Sith)

Pretty much this. Hollywood never lets anyone die, even if it makes it a better picture. Box office rules.

I hate your avatar though.

 

[bak00777]

Harrison Ford, the greatest actor known to man, and animals, and aliens. I cant believe he found Han boring... This saddens me.

 

[eljawa]

while this is old news (watch the behind the scenes on the fourth disk of the Star Wars Trilogy Boxset) I agree, it would have heightened the danger and made return of the jedi a better film, because, and as a star wars nerd this is hard to say, but despite what Randal argues in Clerks, Jedi is the weakest of the original trilogy, by a huge margin. (and weaker than Revenge of the Sith)

Agreed. Episode 3 get's too much undeserved hate, just by virtue of being a prequel. The only thing that stands out as awful to me is the Obi-wan vs. Anakin duel.

Personally I rank them, from best to worst:

- V

- IV

- III

- VI

- I

- II

I always put a new hope as Best, followed by Empire and then the rest is the same as your list. I can live with the Anakin/Obi Wan duel (CGI wasnt very good thougg in that scene) if it werent for those romatic scenes

"Anakin...You're breaking my heart"
(Anakin says something stupider in his rage)

gosh lucas...really?

 

[Captain Pancake]

Come to think of it, there was very little tragedy to that film besides

Spoiler

darth vader dying, but he was a bad guy up till this point so it doesnt really count

I think something like that should have happened to make it feel like the final result came at a cost besides a few fighter pilots and unnamed rebel troops.

 

[Brett Alex]

Come to think of it, there was very little tragedy to that film

 

[BlindMessiah94]

Ford was asked why audiences hadn't seen Han Solo in any other movies, to which he replied that he thought that it would be too difficult to work the character back into the canon, and even if someone did up with a way, he didn't find that character particularly interesting.

Missing a few words there?

OT: Doesn't surprise me, $$$ before artistic integrity = profit?