The Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner didn’t return to direct Return of the Jedi, but he had good reason for walking away from Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back is largely considered one of Star Wars’ best movies, and, particularly given its massive plot twists—especially that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father—it remains one of the most significant installments in Star Wars’ movies and TV shows. Even beyond Star Wars, though, The Empire Strikes Back changed cinema history in multiple ways.
Given that extensive legacy, it’s somewhat surprising that Kershner didn’t want to return for the final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy. Unlike A New Hope, which was made with complete uncertainty about how it would be received and whether it would be successful, by Return of the Jedi, Star Wars was already considered an acclaimed franchise. Even so, Irvin Kershner had good reason for not continuing with Star Wars.
In the Star Wars magazine Star Wars Insider #49, Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner explained:
Kershner’s rationale makes sense, and he certainly isn’t alone in this line of thought. In fact, many actors who agree to or consider being in franchise movies such as Star Wars or Marvel movies have concerns about being typecast or pigeonholed in the future. Kershner, as he explained in Star Wars Insider also had differing interests at the time. Following The Empire Strikes Back’s 1980 release, Kershner directed Never Say Never Again, a spy film that released in 1983, and a range of movies in the late 1980s and early 1990s, from dystopias to comedies.
Purchase Star Wars Insider #49
However, Kershner’s comments about having some regrets about this decision, especially because he suggests there were aspects of Return of the Jedi he would have done differently, raise interesting questions about what might have been. In fact, Kershner’s additional comment about George Lucas’ possible interest in Kershner taking on the final original trilogy movie makes clear that there was true promise there. While Return of the Jedi is no doubt an excellent Star Wars movie, it would have been interesting to see what it would have looked like had Irvin Kershner been at the helm.
Return of the Jedi successfully wrapped up the original trilogy while paving the way for the innumerable Star Wars movies and TV shows to come. However, The Empire Strikes Back stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of plot, character development, and twists. Although Return of the Jedi brought about plot twists of its own, including that Luke and Leia were siblings, it didn’t have quite the same bite as Darth Vader’s iconic reveal. In fact, it came across as a bit of a head-scratcher, particularly given their kiss in The Empire Strikes Back.
In light of The Empire Strikes Back’s massive success and its various innovations, it’s possible that Return of the Jedi may have been an even greater hit had Kershner been behind it. While this may not have meant Luke and Leia becoming twins, which would have reshaped the prequel trilogy considerably, this change could have seen a remarkable end to the trilogy. While Irvin Kershner’s reasoning does make sense, it’s nevertheless fascinating to imagine what Star Wars would have looked like had Return of the Jedi been directed by the mind behind The Empire Strikes Back.
ALL STAR WARS MOVIES AND TV SHOWS ARE AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON DISNEY+