Big Mistake
When it came to signing a contract with James Earl Jones to fill in Darth Vader’s voice, George Lucas offered him a choice: He could take a salary of $7,000 for his work or royalties off the back end of ticket sales. Back then, $7,000 was a decent amount of money, so Jones took the cash, which turned out to be a costly mistake.
Had he chosen the alternative, he would have earned far more; Jones admitted years later that the decision cost him “tens of millions of dollars.” In comparison, Sir Alec Guinness took the royalties – and his heirs have earned an estimated $95 million for his work in the first “Star Wars” film.
The Rebel Troops on Hoth
While filming "The Empire Strikes Back," the scenes set on icy Hoth were shot in Finse, Norway; Rebel soldiers move into the trenches to protect the base so transports can escape. The actors playing these soldiers were all Norwegian mountain rescue skiers.
In appreciation for their work, Lucasfilm's production company donated to the Norwegian Red Cross. None of the skiers spoke English, so giving them directions proved somewhat challenging; Peter MacDonald, the second unit director, had to act out what he wanted them to do.
George Lucas's Insistence on Vader's TIE Spiral Made a Sequel Possible
Nearing the end of "A New Hope," Darth Vader's TIE fighter was hit and spiraled away — which ends up preserving his life when the Death Star Spaceship blows up, but the scene almost played out differently. George Lucas insisted on adding the scene late in the film's production, solely to make room for a sequel.
At the time, sequels weren't in high regard, so many crew members lobbied for the TIE's destruction. In the end, Lucas called the shots and made sure the scene stayed. Had Vader not survived in the first movie, anything that followed could have looked immensely different.
The Sandcrawler Almost Started a War
The Sandcrawler for "A New Hope" was massive, built to size, which was two stories high, and over 90 feet in length when constructed. Taking into account the time and effort that was required to put the Sandcrawler together, its building piqued the Libyan government's interest.
Investigators from across the border were sent to determine whether it was a new type of military vehicle. But the investigators soon realized they were looking at a movie set under construction, so they left Lucas and his crew alone.
James Earl Jones Wasn't Credited by Request
James Earl Jones' celebrated career is filled with memorable roles, but one of the roles he was most well-known for was providing Darth Vader's voice. David Prowse originally delivered all the dialogue, but his British West Country accent just didn't feel right for George Lucas, and in the end, he dubbed over Prowse's dialogue.
However, Jones asked that he not be given credit for his work in the film's credit reel, as he felt that his contribution to the film was insignificant, and he didn't deserve any credit. Over time, he discerned the importance his voice gave to the character and reprised the role in subsequent movies, TV series, and video games.