Why didn't Lawrence Kasdan come back for the Prequels?

He must have been buried with work on other projects.

 

Absolutely, but times have changed, maybe he decided he may not have anything else left to further this trilogy.

 

I know I've spoken to soon but you never know Larry I think will await Lucas's call to come back.

 

George did ask and Larry said "No, it's your thing" as did several other screenwriters.
I don't think Kasdan would have improved the prequels, the scripts are fine without him.

 

Well he was quoted a while ago that after Raiders of the Lost Ark he lost the desire to write for other people, meaning if he wrote a script he wanted to direct it. And he also wanted to concentrate on his directing as well. But I think now he did the script for TFA for old time's sake and as a favor to George and the franchise that pretty much made his career what it is today.

That last sentence was my own personal opinion.

 

Well actually he was the co in co writer. As in complimentary. More of a junior. I don't want to underplay his overall importance but too often there is far too much made of his contribution.

Lucas actually penned or rather penciled the screen plays and then Kasdan did in essence a script editing job where he edited and expanded material which George then rewrote, then it went back to Kasdan and back to George as so on until the shooting script which again would be refined by George, Kasdan, Kershner etc.

 

The scripts had problems, more creative input and critiquing most likely would have helped with.

 

Well we have a difference of opinion here! I don't think there's much difference between the OT and PT scripts, mostly a difference of content and narrative style. ESB has "problems" too. Have you seen Dreamcatcher? Kasdan's not a perfect screenwriter either.

 

The scripts of the prequels were great.It was the directing that was weaker then in the OT.

 

The best thing about a Forum is that you get to see a wide range of opinion. There's no "final" assessment, everyone has their own take on the films. I like George's style of direction myself and I think the 6 SW scripts pretty much get the job done, DJ likes the scripts and has some issues with the direction. You show a work of art to 50 people and you'll get 50 different opinions Btw my favorite Kasdan script is Wyatt Earp.

 

A good read, thanks.
I can wholehearted recommend it.

 

i dont think he felt up to the task after the Return of the Jedi debacle. he knew Star Wars and George had changed for better or worse.

 

Well I know that Kasdan didn't want to do it and thought Lucas should do it himself. But I find it funny that Kasdan's best and most memorable work was with Lucas. And some other exceptions. I wonder how he will fair with Abrams at his side? People put this guy up on a pedestal way too much. I mean he is good, but his career isn't a gold standard of film making. He just doesn't write masterpieces each and every time.

Now people are expecting lightning to strike twice with Kasdan on how TESB played out. It may be more of a risk than a plus. But we will have to wait and see how it fares out in December.

 

I found dreamcatcher to be the worst. I hated that film so much. It could've been because larry is a terrible director though.

 

I agree very much with you on George, but I am just more or less saying that maybe putting too much faith in Kasdan may be not a good thing? Just looking at from a certain way that JJ and Kasdan haven't worked together. It may be great or maybe not. That was all I was trying to say. Because Kasdan's record isn't all that great, with obvious exceptions of course. I am just holding out on that verdict come December. But I personally feel that things will definitely turn out for the better.