Star Wars: The Force Awakens was nearly titled Shadow of the Empire
Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire. According to one LucasFilm executive, that was nearly the title of the film that has since taken the world by storm.
What do you think of the title of the new Star Wars film? As it turns out, the movie’s title wasn’t a settled affair until much later, and J.J. Abrams and company nearly called the film Shadow of the Empire instead.
Star Wars fans will recognize in the title the name of one of the novels in the expanded universe, which have since been expurgated from the official Star Wars canon. The Steve Perry novel, titled Shadows of the Empire, was set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and the entire storyline actually spills over into comics and a video game.
If you’ve already seen Episode VII – judging by the film’s numbers you already have – it’s easy to see why the film was originally called Shadow of the Empire, what with the rise of the First Order.
Nevertheless, LucasFilm Creative Executive Pablo Hidalgo, who was the one who revealed the movie’s old title, expressed relief that the title was changed to The Force Awakens in the end.
Shadow of the Empire is a cool title, but it seems to entrench the beginning of the new trilogy in the original sequels. On the other hand, The Force Awakens signifies a brand new start – a far more apt opener for a fresh series of films for a new generation. Like Hidalgo, we’re glad the change happened.
Source: The Verge
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.