‘A bit unstable’: Why R2-D2 was hard to control in Star Wars

Even if the Star Wars saga is considered a true pop culture institution today, 45 years ago, when George Lucas and his teams were busy bringing the first three feature films of the franchise to life, things were not so simple.

In the late 1970s, while special effects as we know them today were still in their infancy in the warehouses of ILM, there were many technical challenges facing the artisans of a galaxy far, far away.

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“a bit unstable”

According to visual effects designer Tony Dyson, known for his work on The Empire Strikes Back and R2-D2, the famous little astromech droid caused serious problems for film crews:

“The overall design of R2-D2 is a bit unstable as his legs are connected to his upper body”explained the technician At the Star Wars Universe mic in 1997.

“So when the third leg extends, you have to stop the whole structure from moving forward.”

All Terrain Droid

Built from scratch by the trilogy artists, the small robot was designed to be able to move forward on its own, which is sometimes difficult for teams to control.

“The third leg itself is lowered by electrocatalysts. The leg has a drive wheel that propels the leg forward when it hits the ground, which in turn carries the body until it reaches its farthest point. When closed, it forms a tripod that allows the droid to walk over uneven terrain and even on steps Yes, go up. At least that’s the theory.”

Despite the embarrassment it may have caused its designers during the filming of the original trilogy, little R2 has in any case remained an icon for all fans of the Star Wars saga, establishing itself as an essential icon of pop culture.

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