George Lucas Explains Why Yoda Talks Backwards

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

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

“As a result of in case you converse common English, individuals will not pay attention that a lot,” Lucas revealed, per Selection. “But when he had an accent, or it is actually arduous to know what he is saying, they give attention to what he is saying.”

Lucas defined that Yoda wanted to face out since he was “principally the thinker of the film,” including, “I had to determine a option to get individuals to truly pay attention, particularly 12-year-olds.”

Protected to say, mission achieved.

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 sensible Jedi Grasp who educated 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 feel and look to life.

Since Yoda’s authentic run (and his dying at age 900 in “Return of the Jedi”), the galaxy’s love for his species has continued by “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 numerous element on it.”

When he completed the unique “Star Wars” script, it stretched 130 to 180 pages, which was method too lengthy. So he chopped it into three components, 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 may change Hollywood ceaselessly: possession of the sequels and the licensing rights.

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

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

In 2012, Lucas offered 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 Each 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 precise 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 [films] as a result of I might already began them, however they determined they needed to do one thing else.”

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