A behind-the-scenes featurette from Revenge of the Sith reveals how legendary filmmaker Steve Spielberg was involved in Star Wars’ final prequel film, particularly the events surrounding Order 66. Ultimately, it’s not a huge surprise that Spielberg had a degree of involvement considering his long-time friendship and frequent collaboration with George Lucas. However, it is exciting to learn where he was involved and how his influence helped shape one of the most tragic events in the entire Star Wars canon.
As seen in a Revenge of the Sith behind-the-scenes feature covering the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk and the worlds featured during the events of Order 66, it’s confirmed that Lucas brought Speilberg in to offer his take on the Jedi Order being eradicated by their own clone forces. As seen during the montage spanning multiple worlds and battlefronts, Spielberg proposed that elements of the worlds themselves would somewhat obscure the various Jedi murders, leaving the deaths partially up to the audience’s imagination. Order 66 and Spielberg’s involvement is discussed around the 2:30 mark:
The most obvious example of Speilberg’s influence that’s clearly seen in the final cut of Revenge of the Sith is the death of Jedi Master Aayla Secura on the planet Felucia. Her actual death is ultimately covered by large plant life as her own clones open fire on her body.
Order 66 is such a pivotal moment in the Star Wars canon. It’s the definitive event that ends the time of the Jedi Order as the galaxy gives way to the rise of the Sith and the new Galactic Empire. To that end, the reveal in the featurette that the montage of Jedi deaths took Lucasfilm over a year to develop makes all kinds of sense despite its relatively brief runtime.
As a corrupted Anakin Skywalker was slaying all the Jedi still at the Jedi Temple with the 501st Legion, this key montage shows that the entire galaxy was just as darkened with the extinguishing of each Jedi’s light as a result of Order 66 and the mass betrayal of their respective clone troopers. To that end, the fact that Steven Speilberg had a hand in developing this key montage is quite significant. In his support of Lucas and his vision for Revenge of the Sith, Spielberg left a definite lasting impression on the Star Wars prequel trilogy.