Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, holding two axes, in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies Star Wars is "about families," so The Mandalorian and Grogu will explore Rotta being Jabba the Hutt's son
Ahsoka
Star Wars TV Shows Ahsoka season 2 is dealing with a "higher level" of Star Wars than The Mandalorian and Grogu
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
Rey in The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies 7 years later, Star Wars fans are still mourning one huge missed opportunity with Rey in the sequels
Baby Yoda and some Anzellans in The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer
Star Wars Movies The Mandalorian season 4 scripts set up Ahsoka season 2, but Jon Favreau had to "start from scratch" for the movie
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor new screenshots featuring Cal Kestis and BD-1
Action Games The 10 best Star Wars games to play in 2026
The Lion King is undoubtedly one of the best movies on Disney Plus
Movies The 30 best movies on Disney Plus to watch right now
An alien food vendor voiced by Martin Scorsese in The Mandalorian & Grogu trailer.
Star Wars Movies Martin Scorsese's unexpected cameo in The Mandalorian and Grogu explained
Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies One of the most infamous Star Wars lines was added in reshoots, Oscar Isaac says
Sam Witwer as Darth Maul in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
Star Wars TV Shows What to watch before Maul – Shadow Lord: 15 essential Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels episodes
Din Djarin and Baby Yoda sitting together in the Super Bowl TV spot for The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies First clip from The Mandalorian and Grogu released, and it shows Grogu being a menace
Rey in The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Disney accused of "sequel erasure" after new Star Wars merchandise only covers the original trilogy and prequels
Baby Yoda and some Anzellans in The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer
Star Wars Movies Baby Yoda gets eaten in new Mandalorian and Grogu TV spot
The Mandalorian and Grogu in the Big Game Spot
Star Wars Movies Jon Favreau admits The Mandalorian's jump to the big screen means they have to "up their game"
How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
Star Wars Movies How to watch the Star Wars movies in order (release and chronological)
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Sci-Fi Movies

25 Things We Don't Want To See In Star Wars Episode 7

Features
By Simon Kinnear published 5 November 2013

The dark side of the series' return

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Millennium Makeover

Millennium Makeover

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Just because the FX guys can make it look super-cool doesn't mean they should.

The joy of the Millennium Falcon is that it saves the day despite looking like it's on the verge of falling to bits.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: A few 'optional extras' - installed by Han and Chewie over the years - wouldn't go amiss.

Page 1 of 25
Page 1 of 25
Saving Stuff For The Spin-Offs

Saving Stuff For The Spin-Offs

Why We Don’t Want To See It: In the original trilogy, every major character had a good reason for being there.

The prequels had General "I'm going to be in The Clone Wars " Grievous. Which is an amazing show... that not enough people watched.

If they had stuck half of the Clone Wars' set-pieces into the actual film, it would have been as good as the original trilogy.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Make sure it's about Nien Nunb.

We'd be so happy we're getting a spin-off film following that guy, we'd take whatever we can get.

Page 2 of 25
Page 2 of 25
Recasting

Recasting

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Should, say, Mark Hamill do a U-turn and decide not to reprise his role, then just write out Luke completely.

As soon as you even consider recasting, then the doors will be open to Episodes IV-VI being re-edited so that the new Luke digitally replaces Hamill.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Kenny Baker is 79, for goodness sake.

If he doesn't feel up to sitting in a tin box for months on end, let some other poor sod sit in R2-D2.

Page 3 of 25
Page 3 of 25
Catchphrase Hell

Catchphrase Hell

Why We Don’t Want To See It: OK, so we'll be disappointed if the "I have a bad feeling about this" meme doesn't make an appearance.

But please resist the temptation to turn the screenplay into a checklist of repurposed zingers from earlier films.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: You're allowed to use "It's a trap!" as long as Admiral Ackbar returns.

Page 4 of 25
Page 4 of 25
Lens Flare

Lens Flare

Why We Don’t Want To See It: There's enough light candy in the Star Wars universe already without this added distraction.

Though, to be fair, JJ's already aware of this , so we don't expect this to be too much of a problem.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Lens flare OFF A LIGHTSABER is, of course, perfectly acceptable.

Page 5 of 25
Page 5 of 25
Family Values

Family Values

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Down that route lies the Star Wars Holiday Special .

And we know how that one turned out, right?

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: A cameo from Chewbacca's family… for the sole purpose of bumping them off.

Page 6 of 25
Page 6 of 25
Blue-screen Disconnect

Blue-screen Disconnect

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Abrams is already one-up on Lucas by insisting on shooting in 35mm rather than digital.

However, there's still the risk of actors emoting in the foreground against an obviously composited backdrop.

Keep it real, guys.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: It's to be used only in dream sequences or Jedi training sequences.

Page 7 of 25
Page 7 of 25
Gag Deaths

Gag Deaths

Why We Don’t Want To See It: After The Empire Strikes Back , kids everywhere decided that Boba Fett was the coolest space dude they'd ever seen.

And then in Return Of The Jedi he's dispatched via a moment of slapstick.

Not so cool.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: C-3PO is just asking to be blown to bits for a laugh.

You know, as long as he's put back together again afterwards.

We love you Threepio.

Page 8 of 25
Page 8 of 25
Excessive Continuity

Excessive Continuity

Why We Don’t Want To See It: One of the least remarked of the prequels' many sins is the insistence on trying to dot every 'i' from the original trilogy, from a spurious Jabba cameo to meeting baby Boba Fett.

Trouble is, continuity just raises awkward questions - why doesn't Owen Lars recognise the droids?

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: It's high time we met the Bothans properly.

They died to bring us this information, don't cha know.

Page 9 of 25
Page 9 of 25
Trade Embargoes

Trade Embargoes

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Remember the excitement you felt as the opening scroll to The Phantom Menace began?

Remember how quickly that buzz dissipated when you actually read it? Cut to the action, JJ.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: At least ensure that the first thing we see is the Millennium Falcon breaking the embargo.

That's what it's built for!

Page 10 of 25
Page 10 of 25
Cute Critters

Cute Critters

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Just because Star Wars is now owned by Disney, doesn't mean it has to be Disney-fied.

Look at Muffit, the dog-like Daggit in the original Battlestar Galactica , for an example of how this can go hideously wrong.

Or, y'know, the Ewoks.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: It's a baby Sarlaac… and it bites.

Page 11 of 25
Page 11 of 25
Lame Cameos

Lame Cameos

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Want to see David Prowse show up, sans helmet, for five seconds as a general?

Or Jake Lloyd as a mutant bounty hunter? Thought not. Cast on merit, please, not for nostalgia.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Cast William Katt, Sissy Spacek and Christopher Walken - aka Luke, Leia and Han had the casting gone differently - as a trio of duplicitous senators.

Page 12 of 25
Page 12 of 25
Musical Numbers

Musical Numbers

Why We Don’t Want To See It: The beefed up interlude in the 1997 Return Of The Jedi , in which the Max Rebo Band gains new singer Joh Yowza, increasingly feels like a nail in Star Wars ' coffin. Just say no for Ep 7 .

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: The Cantina Band we can cope with.

Page 13 of 25
Page 13 of 25
Child Leads

Child Leads

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Yes, it's probably inevitable that Han and Leia will have kids.

No, that doesn't mean the film has to resemble an intergalactic version of Little Fockers .

Let's see 'em during their teenage angsty years, please.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Anakin set the precedent for punishing Younglings in Episode 3 , so there's always the off-chance that they can wiped out if they get TOO annoying.

Page 14 of 25
Page 14 of 25
Palpatine Returns

Palpatine Returns

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Because it's exactly what everybody in the audience will expect.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: He appears as a Force Ghost only - none of the resurrection nonsense that marred the Expanded Universe - and the film's main source of villainy lies elsewhere.

Page 15 of 25
Page 15 of 25
Bad dialogue

Bad dialogue

Why We Don’t Want To Hear It: Everybody rightly derides "Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo," but it's not like the original trilogy didn't contain the odd clunker, like whiny Luke's "It's not that I like the Empire. I hate it! But there's nothing I can do about it right now. It's such a long way from here."

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: As long as Han escapes unscathed, we don't mind, really.

Page 16 of 25
Page 16 of 25
Expanded Universe Pedantry

Expanded Universe Pedantry

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Ever visited the fans' bible, Wookieepedia? It's like a previously undiscovered circle of hell.

Forget about the non-film stuff and remember the mainstream punters.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Thrawn is pretty cool.

Page 17 of 25
Page 17 of 25
Coruscant

Coruscant

Why We Don’t Want To See It: It's the most boring planet in Star Wars. A big city? Meh.

Bring us forests and deserts, snowscapes and mudbaths.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: It gets blown up in the first act.

Page 18 of 25
Page 18 of 25
Midichlorians

Midichlorians

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Once, Jedis were bad-ass warriors blessed with instinct and elegance.

And then George Lucas decided they were composed of powerful micro-organisms, reducing a cool adventure to the pedantry of so much bad sci-fi.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Can midichlorians go wrong? Let's see a Jedi mutate into something weird and Cronenbergian.

Page 19 of 25
Page 19 of 25
Dull Parents

Dull Parents

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Too many of the novels neglected Luke and Han, turning them into boring middle-aged men who had settled into domestic bliss and 9-to-5 day jobs.

The Jedi Council scenes in the prequels were bad enough.

It'd barely be worth Hamill and Ford turning up if that proves to be the case in the film.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: It's a front.

Whatever they tell people they're doing, Han is still a rogue and Luke is busy lopping off limbs with a lightsaber.

Page 20 of 25
Page 20 of 25
Han Shoots First

Han Shoots First

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Few things enrage Star Wars fandom quite like Lucas' notorious re-edit of Solo's first appearance.

But after years of cathartic moments in the Expanded Universe where Han gets to restate his credentials, it's a gag that has become tiresome through over-use.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: He's teaching his son a lesson about never waiting for the bad guy to make a move.

"Always shoot first, kid."

Page 21 of 25
Page 21 of 25
Limp romance

Limp romance

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Han and Leia in Empire - screwball and sexy.

Anakin and Padme in Clones - fussy and flaccid.

Avoid the latter, please.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Make the romance unconvincing for a reason.

Perhaps one of them is a villain, faking their affection to get closer to the Jedi?

Page 22 of 25
Page 22 of 25
Platform Game Action

Platform Game Action

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Attack Of The Clones lurched from set-piece to set-piece like a group of friends had wandered back from the pub to play on their Xbox.

Cinema is capable of so much more.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Give the characters a decent reason for having to fight their way from A to B, and a scary monster at the level's end.

Page 23 of 25
Page 23 of 25
Jar-Jar

Jar-Jar

Why We Don’t Want To See It: Do you really need to ask?

If you insist, here's one you might not have thought of before. What if J.J. Abrams casts his pal Simon Pegg, who famously tore Jar Jar a new one in Spaced ?

Won't that be, like, really awkward if they have to share a scene?

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: It's not Jar Jar but his great, great, great grandson, who happens to be the most bad-ass bounty hunter in the galaxy.

One ear missing, lightsaber scar across his face and – crucially – no accent.

Page 24 of 25
Page 24 of 25
Luke Turns To The Dark Side

Luke Turns To The Dark Side

Why We Don’t Want To See It: It's a plot twist that has long been a favourite of the Expanded Universe, but it's a very fannish idea, and one that risks making the original trilogy really depressing in retrospect.

Leave alone.

Oh, Go On, If You Have To: Breaking bad is a bluff on Luke's part.

Page 25 of 25
Page 25 of 25
Simon Kinnear
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
Star Wars Movies After 4 years of no Luke Skywalker, Star Wars fans are plotting ways in which he can return to the franchise
 
 
A stylized version of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader in Star Wars: Detours
Star Wars TV Shows Seth Green says his unseen Star Wars series would need to be "upgraded" for streaming
 
 
How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
Star Wars Movies How to watch the Star Wars movies in order (release and chronological)
 
 
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
 
 
C-3PO, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Movies 22 years later, Star Wars fans are reassessing one 2004 Special Edition Return of the Jedi change
 
 
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies The latest Mandalorian and Grogu trailer proves the film will be worth the 7-year wait for Star Wars' big screen return
 
 
Latest in Sci Fi Movies
Star Wars Force FX Elite Maul lightsaber hilt against a dark background
Toys & Collectibles I've been waiting years for this new Star Wars Force FX lightsaber based on Darth Maul
 
 
Rey in The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies 7 years later, Star Wars fans are still mourning one huge missed opportunity with Rey in the sequels
 
 
Ryan Gosling floating in space in Project Hail Mary
Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary author reveals the one cut book scene he wished they'd squeezed into the movie
 
 
Baby Yoda and some Anzellans in The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer
Star Wars Movies Baby Yoda gets eaten in new Mandalorian and Grogu TV spot
 
 
Disclosure Day
Sci-Fi Movies Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day finally shows the alien in new teaser, but it's more A.I. than E.T.
 
 
An alien food vendor voiced by Martin Scorsese in The Mandalorian & Grogu trailer.
Star Wars Movies Jon Favreau says Martin Scorsese did a "lot of improv" on Star Wars movie The Mandalorian and Grogu: "It's a highlight"
 
 
Latest in Features
Blood of Dawnwalker screenshot showing Unreal Engine 5 open world
RPGs Five reasons why The Blood of Dawnwalker is becoming my most anticipated RPG of 2026
 
 
The cast of Citadel season 2.
Streaming Services All the movies and shows streaming on Prime Video in May 2026
 
 
A side by side of the Steam Controller with the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K
Gaming Controllers The Steam Controller doesn't appear to be a hit for competitive play, so here are the best alternatives
 
 
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, Razer Blade 14, and Acer Predator Triton 14 AI gaming laptops lined up on a wooden desk
Laptops I put the best 14-inch gaming laptops head to head and Asus still came out on top, but there's just one caveat
 
 
Slay the Spire 2 screenshots from the Early Access trailer
Roguelike Games I love Slay the Spire 2, I hate Slay the Spire 2
 
 
Xbox Series S
Games Xbox has changed its name and backtracked on Game Pass prices, but is it too little too late?
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Fallout
    1
    Fallout co-creator hopes to "make one more game" before his second retirement from RPG development
  2. 2
    Indie dev discovers nuclear fusion of Steam marketing, flies up wishlists thanks to anime girl
  3. 3
    Stranger Things: Tales From '85 showrunner says the upcoming series won't just be a "Monster of the Week" adventure
  4. 4
    Diablo 4 needs "aspirational content," says director, but don't discredit casual gameplay
  5. 5
    The Witcher 3 director says Crimson Desert isn't "story heavy," but it still gets "RPG things" right

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...