The film, directed by lucas, was in production for four years, with scenes shot in tunisia and death valley, california. Time again for star wars weekly, the syfy wire series that rounds up the most important news of the week from a galaxy far, far away. This is george lucas s filmography, including those films that he was involved with as director, screenwriter, executive producer or actor. Essentially, with the creation of the new star wars films beginning with 2015s the force awakens george lucas has made good on a threat he was. Lucas licensing has recorded more than 100 million sales of star wars related books, with over 850. Dec 22, 2017 the first film in the franchise, entitled star wars, was released on may 25, 1977. Sometime after george lucas 1977 star wars had become the highestgrossing movie of all time, francis ford coppola told lucas that he should just go ahead and start his own religion. When star wars first debuted, it was an instant hit. They have a lot more in common than you may realize. Did george lucas have greedo shoot first to avoid a pg. A star wars story image safe about 2 months ago by jessica fisher. Originally conceived as a serialized popcorn movie in the manner of the old action movies that lucas grew up with, star wars surpassed even georges keen and bombastic imagination to become a central part of movie history. While the general shape of what would become the original trilogy was there, lucas took each movie as it came, ironing out the story beats and conceptual designs along the way. Star wars movie series in chronological order imdb.
The surviving members of the resistance face the first order once again, and the legendary conflict between. The 1977 film star wars, which was later retitled star wars. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an allencompassing fictional. Here begins the greatest cinematic epic of all time, and arguably one of the greatest stories ever told. Lucas licensing has recorded more than 100 million sales of star wars related books, with over 850 novelizations, original novels, reference books, childrens books and roleplaying supplements, including 80 new york times bestsellers. His decision was seen as foolish by many in the industry at the time, since movie toys had not traditionally been big sellers. The first star wars is still the weirdest trip to the galaxy far, far away. Star wars quickly attained global notoriety, having been nominated for 29 academy awards, of which they won seven.
Episode iv a new hope, is one of the most commericially successful films of all time. The subtitle episode iv a new hope was retroactively added to the opening crawl in a subsequent release. The first film in the franchise, entitled star wars, was released on may 25, 1977. Aug 10, 2018 george lucas was a maverick filmmaker who longed to work outside the studio system, so he independently produced his movies and looked for a distributor. In space, sometimes a nebulafor all its swirling promisenever quite consolidates itself into a star. However, the star wars we know and love is not always the star wars lucas had originally intended. With robert duvall, donald pleasence, don pedro colley, maggie mcomie. One of the most controversial decisions that george lucas made in his special editions of the original star wars trilogy that he released in the 1990s where lucas made various edits to the original films, such as sprucing up special effects here and there was to alter the iconic scene where han solo shoots a bounty hunter named greedo. May 11, 2018 although lucas directed the first movie in the star wars original trilogy, he took a backseat for this one as an executive producer and writer.
Ron howard discusses the advice george lucas gave him regarding star wars fandom movie ron howard bryce dallas howard solo. Since the release of the first star wars movie in 1977, its hard to find any subsequent george lucas film that performed poorly at the box office. With mark hamill, harrison ford, carrie fisher, alec guinness. In 1977, george lucas said he wanted to direct the last star. How one brilliant decision in 1973 made george lucas a. Overlapping with his work on star wars, lucas developed a new adventure series featuring a tough but humorous archaeologist named indiana jones.
The success of the film and its merchandise sales led lucas to make star wars the basis of an elaborate film serial, and use the profits to finance his filmmaking center, skywalker ranch. His father was a stationery store owner and he had three siblings. But it was successful so empire strikes back was released instead. Though star wars is beloved by all ages, creator george lucas opted for a happy ending to return of the jedi so that it might be more familyfriendly. Apr 07, 2020 the day is november 1, 1994, and star wars creator george lucas has decided to document his fist day of writing episode i of the prequel trilogy. Its credited to george lucas, but i gather it was actually ghostwritten for him. The first film was released in 1977 under the title star wars. Watch george lucas on his first day of writing star wars.
Here are george lucas 10 best unused concepts from the original star wars trilogy. Fox was the only studio willing to take a chance on star wars, a decision that handsomely paid off for several years. That said, though, another reason why the star wars franchise began with episode 4 was the fact that lucas first drafts were trying to cram too much into just one film. Hardware wars, released in 1978, was one of the first fan films to parody star wars. In exchange for full merchandising rights, george lucas agreed to earn a lower salary. However in december 1976, six months before the first star wars movie hit the theatres, this innocent little paperback novelisation of the forthcoming movie was quietly published. The first six installments of the liveaction film series were released. But most were dark, dystopian tales like rollerball, logans run, or thx 18 lucass 1971 featurefilm debut. George lucas, american motionpicture director, producer, and screenwriter who created several of the most popular films in history, most notably the original trilogy of star wars movies, which spawned one of the largest pop culture phenomena of all time. Lucas was determined to make a different kind of scifi moviesomething fun that was aimed at 14 and 15yearolds.
Aug 15, 2019 george lucas is a writer, producer and director known for his creation of the enormously successful star wars and indiana jones film franchises. Aug 19, 2019 george lucas predicted the modern version of star wars, with one huge caveat. The first george lucas movies, american graffiti and thx18, seem nothing like star warsbut only at a quick glance. Fox was the only studio willing to take a chance on star wars. Oct 21, 2019 george lucas and the origin story behind star wars in an era of dark, dystopian sciencefiction drama, lucas was determined to make a different kind of scifi movie something fun, aimed at. George lucas ended the argument around which order to watch star wars in years ago in case youre unfamiliar, the first star wars movie came out in 1977.
According to marcus hearns book the cinema of george lucas, in early drafts of the original 1977 star wars movie, han solo didnt already own the millennium falcon, having won it from lando calrissian in a game of sabacc. The original trilogy were the first films of the star wars saga to be produced. During his late teen years, he went to thomas downey high school and was very much interested in drag racing. According to mark hamill, the first he heard of a proposed sequel trilogy was all the way back in 1976, on the set of the first star wars. Did empire strikes backs lack of opening credits cause. The film, which features luke skywalker confronting darth vader and the fall of the empire, is the third installment in the star wars original trilogy. Disney ceo says george lucas felt betrayed by new star. One is a bleak, dystopian science fiction film about how difficult it is for the human spirit. George lucas edited star wars to have greedo shoot first so that he could avoid a pg rating one of the most controversial decisions that george lucas made in his special editions of the original star wars trilogy that he released in the 1990s where lucas made various edits to the original films, such as sprucing up special effects here and there was to alter the. Jan 01, 2018 everything we know about georges vision for the seventh star wars movie. Think of us as your own personal star wars holocron. A new hope, but he decided to stay away from the directors chair for the next entries of the original trilogy. He was deep into the production of star wars, having poured most of his own money into producing the film.
Modesto, california, may 14, 1944 is an american filmmaker, creator of the film sagas of star wars and indiana jones, and former president of lucasfilm limited, lucasarts entertainment company, lucas digital ltd, lucas licensing, lucasbooks and lucas learning ltd. From 1977 to 2005, he served as cowriter and executive producer of all six star wars. Dec 19, 2019 george lucas is the plot twist we were all dreading. George lucas was convinced star wars would be a disaster until this phone call in 1977. George lucas and the origin story behind star wars. Star wars creator george lucas sat down with robert redford for a. George lucas planned the original star wars trilogy to end. Episode iv a new hope is a 1977 american epic space opera film written and directed by george lucas, produced by lucasfilm and distributed by 20th centuryfox. When george lucas knew star wars was a hit business.
Jan 06, 2020 in the summer of 1976, george lucas had a decision to make. Before selling lucasfilm to disney, george lucas had hired star wars original trilogy veteran lawrence kasdan to write a film about a young han solo. Dec 28, 2015 culture film news what order to watch the star wars films in according to george lucas himself and others aaron paul, mark ruffalo, daisy ridley, john boyega, and others weigh in on the. Dec 10, 2019 george lucas has not made a star wars movie since revenge of the sith, but that hasnt stopped him from imagining where his franchise might have gone. Space a sea of stars is broken by the vast blue surface of the planet, utapau. In 1977, a few months after the first star wars was released and became a massive hit, lucas spoke to rolling stone magazine and said the following. The day is november 1, 1994, and star wars creator george lucas has decided to document his fist day of writing episode i of the prequel trilogy. Nicholas barber looks at just how far the similarities go.
The film stars alden ehrenreich as a young han solo, joonas suotamo as chewbacca after serving as a double for the character in the force awakens and the last jedi, donald glover as lando calrissian, emilia clarke as qira, and woody harrelson as. Star wars opens in theaters on this day in 1977, memorial day weekend opens with an intergalactic bang as the first of george lucas blockbuster star wars movies hits american theaters. George lucas is best known for creating the star wars franchise, having directed the very first film from the saga, star wars. He is best known as creator of the epic star wars saga and the archaeologistadventurer character indiana jones.
From lucasfilm comes the first of the star wars standalone films, rogue one. Jan 04, 2016 the film star wars stole from george lucas has acknowledged that akira kurosawas the hidden fortress inspired parts of his own saga. Star wars and its ensuing film installments have been explicitly referenced and satirized across a wide range of media. He worked on the script for the next two years, while his personal debt mounted and his.
How much did george lucas make from the first star wars. He went through a lot of changes and revisions to the franchise over the years, with some of those first ideas being drastically different than what we finally got. How george lucas overcame rejection and made star wars. Star wars is an american epic spaceopera media franchise created by george lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popculture phenomenon.
He served as chairman of lucasfilm before selling it to the walt disney company in 2012. Directed by george lucas, the original trilogy generated a prequel trilogy and sequel trilogy. How george lucas overcame rejection and made star wars one. During a meeting where they began to discuss the first movie in the third trilogy, 2015s star wars.
Star wars is known today as a cultural phenomenon, but it wasnt always seen that way. A star wars storys rio durrant, has been on the road with his film the lion king. How much did george lucas make from the first star wars film. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the death star, the empires ultimate weapon of destruction. First of all, let me speak to my fellow old people, those of us who saw star wars in the theater or on vhs as it was first edited, before the special editions changed everything. He cast star wars antihero ford in the title role, and steven spielberg signed on as director for raiders of the lost ark 1981, the first film in the franchise. The force awakens, iger, 68, writes that lucas immediately got upset as they began to. He planned to become a professional racecar driver. Jun 15, 2017 george lucas, the man behind the star wars myth, is many things but we rarely talk about him as an artist. George, if youre listening, please stop adding new special effects to the old films. The original film, a new hope, was released back in 1977 with little hope pun not intended of success by. Sitting in the desert between takes, lucas told him that. In the twentyfifth century, a time when people have designations instead of names, a man, thx 18, and a woman, luh 3417, rebel against their rigidly controlled society. This movie, like lucas, like the failed nebula, is the big one that got away.
Lucas first had the idea for what he described as a western set in space, called the star wars, in 1971. Because, yes, at first he created the star wars canon six fabulously successful films that unlocked the imaginations of generations of. Although lucas directed the first movie in the star wars original trilogy, he took a backseat for this one as an executive producer and writer. Five small moons slowly drift into view from the far side of the planet. Characters, conceived original concept for the film, creative consultant on director ron howards first day on set 2019 star wars. They primarily focus on the rebel alliance trying to free the galaxy from the clutches of the galactic empire, as well as luke skywalker s quest. When we talk about george lucas, we may talk about money, product, and franchisesnot. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed. George lucas first two films, thx18 1971 and american graffiti 1973 couldnt be more different.
Read this classic interview with star wars director george lucas, dating from 1999, as part of empire s star wars archive. George lucas and the mandalorian jon favreau, the showrunner behind the mandalorian and voice behind ron howards solo. Learn more about his life and career in this article. Did george lucas have greedo shoot first to avoid a pg rating. Here are some of the ideas george lucas originally had for star wars before. What order to watch the star wars films in according to. After the release of the first sequel, the original film was subtitled episode iv. Han shot first, but leave lucas edits in star wars. How the first george lucas movies are present in star wars. George lucass longterm goal was to makesure lucasfilm was a sufficient business that made things other than just.