George Lucas Explains Why Yoda Talks Backwards

The 80-year-old legendary filmmaker made a uncommon look on the opening evening of the 2025 TCM Basic Movie Competition in Los Angeles to rejoice the forty fifth anniversary of “The Empire Strikes Again.”

Throughout a dialog with TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz, George Lucas dropped a significant bombshell about Yoda’s iconic speech sample.

“As a result of for those who communicate common English, individuals will not hear that a lot,” Lucas revealed, per Selection. “But when he had an accent, or it is actually exhausting to grasp what he is saying, they give attention to what he is saying.”

Lucas defined that Yoda wanted to face out since he was “mainly the thinker of the film,” including, “I had to determine a method to get individuals to really hear, particularly 12-year-olds.”

Protected to say, mission completed.

Since debuting in 1980, “The Empire Strikes Again” has earned over $550 million worldwide, and Yoda stays probably the most beloved and most quoted characters within the galaxy.

Yoda, the clever Jedi Grasp who skilled Luke Skywalker, was famously voiced and puppeteered by Frank Oz in six “Star Wars” movies. Lucas as soon as described the character as a “little Dalai Lama,” and Oz’s work, together with the assistance of puppeteers like Kathryn Mullen, Wendy Froud, and David Barclay, introduced Yoda’s distinct appear and feel to life.

Since Yoda’s unique run (and his demise at age 900 in “Return of the Jedi”), the galaxy’s love for his species has continued via “The Mandalorian”’s Grogu, affectionately dubbed “Child Yoda.”

Lucas additionally received actual about his inventive course of, admitting, “I write like a blueprint. It isn’t received a number of element on it.”

When he completed the unique “Star Wars” script, it stretched 130 to 180 pages, which was approach too lengthy. So he chopped it into three elements, specializing in the primary one, believing he’d by no means get sufficient cash to make the entire epic saga.

Lucas famously agreed to a tiny paycheck, simply $50,000, to jot down, direct, and produce “Star Wars,” however he negotiated two situations that might change Hollywood perpetually: possession of the sequels and the licensing rights.

“I mentioned, ‘I need the rights for this stuff as a result of I’m going to make these films it doesn’t matter what occurs,’” Lucas mentioned. “‘And in addition to that, I need the licensing.’ They mentioned, ‘What’s licensing?’”

Lucas’ thought was to make use of merchandising to assist promote the films, with children carrying “Star Wars” shirts that might assist unfold the phrase. He additionally hustled, sending children dressed as characters to Disneyland and Comedian-Cons to hype it up.

In 2012, Lucas bought Lucasfilm, and the rights to “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones,” to Disney for a staggering $4 billion. It was a call he as soon as in comparison with dropping a member of the family.

“These are my children, I liked them. I created them,” he instructed CBS on the time, per Every day Mail.

“I’ve spent my life creating ‘Star Wars,’ 40 years, and giving it up was very, very painful,” Lucas instructed one other interviewer in 2020, per The Unbiased. “But it surely was the fitting factor to do. I assumed I used to be going to have a bit of bit extra to say in regards to the subsequent three (movies) as a result of I would already began them, however they determined they needed to do one thing else.”

Issues “do not at all times work out the best way you need it. Life is like that,” he added.