George Lucas: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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| name = George Lucas

| birth_name = George Walton Lucas Jr.

| image = George Lucas ~~cropped 2009~~2024.jpg

| caption = Lucas at the [[~~2009~~2024 ~~Venice~~Cannes Film Festival]]

| landscape = no

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1944|5|14}}

| birth_place = [[Modesto, California]], U.S.

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'''George Walton Lucas Jr.'''<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=White |first=Dana |title=George Lucas |publisher=[[Lerner Publishing Group]] |date=2000 |page=[https://archive.org/details/georgelucas0000whit/page/12 12] |isbn=0822549751 |url=https://archive.org/details/georgelucas0000whit/page/12}}</ref> (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' franchises and founded [[Lucasfilm]], [[LucasArts]], [[Industrial Light & Magic]] and [[THX]]. He served as chairman of Lucasfilm before selling it to [[The Walt Disney Company]] in 2012.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://movies.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Disney-Acquires-Lucasfilm-for-405-Billion-STAR-WARS-Episode-7-in-2015-20121030 |title=Disney Acquires Lucasfilm for $4.05 Billion – STAR WARS: Episode 7 in 2015! |work=broadwayworld.com |access-date=October 30, 2012 |archive-date=November 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101232535/http://movies.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Disney-Acquires-Lucasfilm-for-405-Billion-STAR-WARS-Episode-7-in-2015-20121030 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nominated for four [[Academy Awards]], he is [[List of highest-grossing film directors|one of history's most financially successful filmmakers]]: he directed or conceived ten of the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office, adjusted for ticket-price inflation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Lifetime Adjusted Grosses |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_lifetime_gross_adjusted/?adjust_gross_to=2020 |access-date=January 21, 2020 |website=BoxOfficeMojo.com |archive-date=July 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704001942/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_lifetime_gross_adjusted/?adjust_gross_to=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> He is considered to be one of the most significant figures of the 20th-century [[New Hollywood]] movement, and a pioneer of the modern [[blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]]. Despite this, he has remained an independent filmmaker away from Hollywood for most of his career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=2015-01-29 |title=George Lucas: Hollywood Is a "Circus" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/george-lucas-robert-redford-talk-768499/ |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817043425/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/george-lucas-robert-redford-talk-768499/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

After graduating from the [[University of Southern California]] in 1967, Lucas moved to San Francisco and co-founded [[American Zoetrope]] with filmmaker [[Francis Ford Coppola]]. He wrote and directed ''[[THX 1138]]'' (1971), based on his student short ''[[Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB]]'', which was a critical success but a financial failure. His next work as a writer-director was ''[[American Graffiti]]'' (1973), inspired by his youth in early 1960s [[Modesto, California]], and produced through the newly founded Lucasfilm. The film was critically and commercially successful and received five [[Academy Award]] nominations, including [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]] and [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]. Lucas's next film, the [[Epic film|epic]] [[space opera]] ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977), later retitled ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'', had a troubled production but was a surprise hit, becoming the [[List of highest-grossing films|highest-grossing film at the time]], winning six Academy Awards and sparking [[Cultural impact of Star Wars|a cultural phenomenon]]. Lucas produced and co-wrote the sequels ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980) and ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983). With director [[Steven Spielberg]], he created, produced, and co-wrote ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' films ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'' (1981), ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom|The Temple of Doom]]'' (1984), ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade|The Last Crusade]]'' (1989) and ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull|The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'' (2008), and served as an executive producer, with a cursory involvement in pre and post-production, on ''[[Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny|The Dial of Destiny]]'' (2023).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mangold |first=James |date=2023-10-10 |title='Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/mang0ld/status/1723205454510371248?s=46&t=eULJH-5VducUevS-dZKxFw |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=Twitter |language=en-US |archive-date=April 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428121925/https://twitter.com/mang0ld/status/1723205454510371248?s=46&t=eULJH-5VducUevS-dZKxFw |url-status=live }}</ref> Lucas is also known for his collaboration with composer [[John Williams]], who was recommended to him by Spielberg, and with whom he has worked for all the films in both of these franchises. He also produced and wrote a variety of films and television series through Lucasfilm between the 1970s and the 2010s.

In 1997, Lucas re-released the [[Star Wars original trilogy|original ''Star Wars'' trilogy]] as part of a [[Changes in Star Wars re-releases|Special Edition]] featuring several modifications; home media versions with further changes were released in 2004 and 2011. He returned to directing with a [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy]] comprising ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace|The Phantom Menace]]'' (1999), ''[[Episode II – Attack of the Clones|Attack of the Clones]]'' (2002) and ''[[Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]'' (2005). He last collaborated on the CGI-animated [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|movie]] and television series of the same name, ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'' (2008–2014, 2020), the war film ''[[Red Tails]]'' (2012) and the CGI film ''[[Strange Magic (film)|Strange Magic]]'' (2015). Lucas is also known for his collaboration with composer [[John Williams]], who was recommended to him by Spielberg, and with whom he has worked for all the films in both of these franchises. He also produced and wrote a variety of films and television series through Lucasfilm between the 1970s and the 2010s.

Lucas is [[List of highest-grossing film directors|one of history's most financially successful filmmakers]]. He directed or wrote the story for ten of the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office, adjusted for ticket-price inflation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Lifetime Adjusted Grosses |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_lifetime_gross_adjusted/?adjust_gross_to=2020 |access-date=January 21, 2020 |website=BoxOfficeMojo.com |archive-date=July 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704001942/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_lifetime_gross_adjusted/?adjust_gross_to=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Through his companies [[Industrial Light and Magic]] and [[Skywalker Sound]], Lucas was involved in the production of, and financially benefited from, almost every big-budget film released in the U.S. from the late 1980s until the 2012 Disney sale. In addition to his career as a filmmaker, Lucas has founded and supported multiple philanthropic organizations and campaigns dedicated to education and the arts, including the [[Edutopia|George Lucas Educational Foundation]], which has been noted as a key supporter in the creation of the federal [[E-Rate]] program to provide broadband funding to schools and libraries, and the [[Lucas Museum of Narrative Art]], a forthcoming art museum in Los Angeles developed with his wife, [[Mellody Hobson]].

== Early life ==

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Lucas's father owned a stationery store, and had wanted George to work for him when he turned 18. Lucas had been planning to go to art school, but his father said he wouldn't pay for it. Lucas declared upon leaving home that he would be a millionaire by the age of 30.{{Sfn|Jones|2016|p=36}}{{efn|He became a millionaire at the age of 28 after selling ''[[American Graffiti]]'' to theaters.{{Sfn|Jones|2016|p=161}}}} He attended [[Modesto Junior College]], where he studied [[anthropology]], sociology, and literature, amongst other subjects.<ref name=pollockskywalking /> He also began shooting with an 8 mm camera, including filming car races.<ref name=pollockskywalking /> At this time, Lucas became interested in [[Canyon Cinema]]: screenings of [[Underground film|underground]], [[avant-garde]] 16 mm filmmakers like [[Jordan Belson]], [[Stan Brakhage]] and [[Bruce Conner]].<ref name=WiredMay2005>{{cite magazine |first=Steve |last=Silberman |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.05/lucas.html |title=Life After Darth |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=May 2005 |access-date=October 11, 2012 |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104163710/https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.05/lucas.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Lucas and childhood friend John Plummer also saw classic European films of the time, including [[Jean-Luc Godard]]'s ''[[Breathless (1960 film)|Breathless]]'', [[François Truffaut]]'s ''[[Jules and Jim|Jules et Jim]]'' and [[Federico Fellini]]'s ''[[8½]]''.<ref name=WiredMay2005 /> "That's when George really started exploring," Plummer said.<ref name=WiredMay2005 /> Through his interest in [[autocross]] racing, Lucas met renowned [[cinematographer]] [[Haskell Wexler]], another race enthusiast.<ref name=pollockskywalking /><ref name=WiredMay2005 /> Wexler, later to work with Lucas on several occasions, was impressed by Lucas's talent.<ref name=pollockskywalking /> "George had a very good eye, and he thought visually," he recalled.<ref name=WiredMay2005 />

At Plummer's recommendation,<ref name=according>{{cite book |last=Sunstein |first=Cass R. |title=The World According to Star Wars |year=2016 |publisher=Harper Collins}}</ref> Lucas then transferred to the [[University of Southern California]] (USC) [[School of Cinematic Arts]]. USC was one of the earliest universities to have a school devoted to [[motion picture film]]. During the years at USC, Lucas shared a dorm room with [[Randal Kleiser]]. Along with classmates such as [[Walter Murch]], [[Hal Barwood]], [[John Milius]] and [[Matthew Robbins (screenwriter)|Matthew Robbins]], they became a clique of film students known as [[The Dirty Dozen (filmmaking)|The Dirty Dozen]]. He also became good friends with fellow acclaimed student filmmaker and future ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' collaborator, [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[Martin Scorsese]].{{efn|Spielberg attended a USC screening in early 1968 and met Lucas after being impressed by his ''[[Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB]]''.{{sfn|Jones|2016|p=92}}}} Lucas was deeply influenced by the Filmic Expression course taught at the school by filmmaker [[Lester Novros]] which concentrated on the non-narrative elements of Film Form like color, light, movement, space, and time. Another inspiration was the Serbian montagist (and dean of the USC Film Department) [[Slavko Vorkapić]], a film theoretician who made stunning [[Montage (filmmaking)|montage]] sequences for Hollywood studio features at [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]], [[RKO Pictures|RKO]], and [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]. Vorkapich taught the autonomous nature of the cinematic art form, emphasizing the kinetic energy inherent in motion pictures.

A group of friends, which included [[Christopher Lewis (screenwriter)|Chris Lewis]] and [[Donald F. Glut|Don Glut]], started the Clean Cut Cinema Club. Lucas, Kleiser and Lewis then formed a short-lived production company called Sunrise Productions with offices on Sunset Boulevard. There they would make up stage names for themselves, Lucas calling himself Lucas Beaumont. Their only project would be the never completed short "Five, Four, Three", a self-referential and self-deprecating mockumentary about the making of a satirical teen beach movie called "Orgy Beach Party".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=SQOrCgAAQBAJ&dq=Kleiser+Randal+Jon+Lucas+Beaumont+Sunrise&pg=PT43 George Lucas, by Brian Jay Jones (2016)]</ref>

After graduating with a bachelor of [[fine arts]] in film in 1967, he tried joining the [[United States Air Force]] as an officer, but he was immediately turned down because of his numerous speeding tickets. He was later [[Conscription|drafted]] by the United States Army for military service in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]], but he was exempted from service after medical tests showed he had [[diabetes]], the disease that killed his paternal grandfather.▼

Lucas was deeply influenced by the Filmic Expression course taught at the school by filmmaker [[Lester Novros]] which concentrated on the non-narrative elements of Film Form like color, light, movement, space, and time. Another inspiration was the Serbian montagist (and dean of the USC Film Department) [[Slavko Vorkapich]], a film theoretician who made stunning [[Montage (filmmaking)|montage]] sequences for Hollywood studio features at [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]], [[RKO Pictures|RKO]], and [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]. Vorkapich taught the autonomous nature of the cinematic art form, emphasizing the kinetic energy inherent in motion pictures.

▲After graduating with a bachelor of [[fine arts]] in film in 1967, he tried joining the [[United States Air Force]] as an officer, but he was immediately turned down because of his numerous speeding tickets. He was later [[Conscription|drafted]] by the United States Army for military service in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]], but he was exempted from service after medical tests showed he had [[diabetes]], the disease that killed his paternal grandfather.{{Sfn|Jones|2016|p=65}}

==Film career==

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Lucas saw many inspiring films in class, particularly the visual films coming out of the [[National Film Board of Canada]] like [[Arthur Lipsett]]'s ''[[21-87]]'', [[cameraman]] [[Jean-Claude Labrecque]]'s [[cinéma vérité]] ''[[60 Cycles]]'', the work of [[Norman McLaren]] and the documentaries of [[Claude Jutra]]. Lucas fell madly in love with [[pure cinema]] and quickly became prolific at making 16 mm nonstory noncharacter visual tone poems and cinéma vérité with such titles as ''[[Look at Life (film)|Look at Life]]'', ''[[Herbie (film)|Herbie]]'', ''[[1:42.08]]'', ''[[The Emperor (film)|The Emperor]]'', ''[[Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town (film)|Anyone Lived in a Pretty (how) Town]]'', ''[[Filmmaker (film)|Filmmaker]]'' and ''[[6-18-67]]''. He was passionate and interested in camerawork and editing, defining himself as a filmmaker as opposed to being a director, and he loved making abstract visual films that created emotions purely through non-narrative structures.<ref name=WiredMay2005 />

In 1967, Lucas re-enrolled as a USC graduate student in film production.<ref name=FGL>{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/george-lucas |title=George Lucas |date=September 2012 |work=Forbes |access-date=September 28, 2012 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222070626/http://www.forbes.com/profile/george-lucas/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He began working under movie and logo designer [[Saul Bass]] and film editor [[Verna Fields]] for the [[United States Information Agency]], where he met his future wife [[Marcia Lucas|Marcia Griffin]].{{sfn|Jones|2016|pp=68, 70}} Working as a teaching instructor for a class of [[U.S. Navy]] students who were being taught documentary cinematography, Lucas directed the short film ''[[Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB]]'', which won first prize at the 1967–68 National Student film festival. Lucas was awarded a student scholarship by [[Warner Bros.]] to observe and work on the making of a film of his choosing. The film he chose after finding the animation department closed down was ''[[Finian's Rainbow (1968 film)|Finian's Rainbow]]'' (1968) which was being directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]], who was revered among film school students of the time as a cinema graduate who had "made it" in Hollywood.{{Sfn|Jones|2016|p=88}} In 1969, Lucas was one of the camera operators on the classic [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]] concert film ''[[Gimme Shelter (1970 film)|Gimme Shelter]]''.

===1969–1977: ''THX 1138'', ''American Graffiti'', and ''Star Wars''===

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By 1993, it was announced, in ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' among other sources, that Lucas would be making the prequels. He began penning more to the story, indicating that the series would be a tragic one, examining Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side. Lucas also began to change the status of the prequels relative to the originals; at first, they were supposed to be a "filling-in" of history tangential to the originals, but now he saw that they could form the beginning of one long story that started with Anakin's childhood and ended with his death. This was the final step towards turning the film series into a "Saga".{{Sfn |Kaminski|2007|pp= 299–300|ref=kaminski}} In 1994, Lucas began work on the screenplay of the first prequel, tentatively titled ''Episode I: The Beginning''.

In 1997, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ''Star Wars'', Lucas restored the original trilogy, ~~also~~and ~~making~~made numerous modifications using newly available digital technology to bring them closer to his original vision. The films were {{nowrap|re-released}} in theaters as the "Special ~~Edition~~Editions".<ref>{{Citation |title=George Lucas On the Special Editions of the Original STAR WARS Trilogy | date=November 18, 2009 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm1zaTUnoTE |language=en |access-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215182041/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm1zaTUnoTE |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Star Wars – The Magic and the Mystery – Hosted by Howie Long – Fox TV Special | date=January 18, 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW5nMJ5gsQg |language=en |access-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216070259/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW5nMJ5gsQg |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=Dan |title="All Films Are Personal": An Oral History of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-oral-history |access-date=December 19, 2022 |website=StarWars.com |language=en |archive-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216130908/https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-oral-history |url-status=live }}</ref> The trilogy received further modifications and restorations for DVD releases in 2004, Blu-ray releases in 2011 and 4K releases released in 2019. Additionally, Lucas released a director's cut of ''THX 1138'' in 2004, with the film {{nowrap|re-cut}} and containing a number of CGI additions.

[[File:Oliver Mark - George Lucas, Berlin 2005.jpg|alt=George Lucas liegt auf einem Sofa in einem Hotelzimmer mit einem Kissen auf dem Schoß.|thumb|George Lucas, Berlin 2005 (Portrait by [[Oliver Mark]])]]

The first ''Star Wars'' prequel was finished and released in 1999 as ''[[Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'', which would be the first film Lucas had directed in over two decades. Following the release of the first prequel, Lucas announced that he would also be directing the next two, and began working on ''Episode II''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |magazine=Star Wars Insider |title=Star Wars Insider |issue=45 |page=19 }}</ref> The first draft of ''Episode II'' was completed just weeks before principal photography, and Lucas hired [[Jonathan Hales]], a writer from ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'', to polish it.{{Sfn |Kaminski|2007| p= 371|ref=kaminski}} It was completed and released in 2002 as ''[[Attack of the Clones]]''. The final prequel, ''[[Episode III – Revenge of the Sith]]'', began production in 2002{{Sfn |Rinzler|2007|p = 36|ref=rinzler}} and was released in 2005. Numerous older fans and critics at the time considered the prequels ~~inferior~~more mixed compared to the original trilogy,<ref>{{cite news |title=Star Wars – Episode II: Attack Of The Clones |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020510/REVIEWS/205100305/1023 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 10, 2002 |access-date=December 30, 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504045357/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020510/REVIEWS/205100305/1023 |archive-date=May 4, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_episode_i_the_phantom_menace/ |title=Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace |date=May 9, 1999 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=May 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515010020/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_episode_i_the_phantom_menace/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_episode_ii_attack_of_the_clones/ |title=Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones 3D |date=May 16, 2002 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218083931/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_episode_ii_attack_of_the_clones |url-status=live }}</ref> though they were box office successes and popular with younger fans.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=starwars.htm |title=Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=June 21, 2012 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194200/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2742257153/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=starwars2.htm |title=Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=June 21, 2012 |archive-date=September 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902041356/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=starwars2.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=starwars3.htm |title=Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=June 21, 2012 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013021507/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=starwars3.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2020 |title=Ewan McGregor shocked by Star Wars fans who prefer prequels to original trilogy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/ewan-mcgregor-star-wars-prequels-obi-wan-series-disney-plus-b434088.html |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220181241/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/ewan-mcgregor-star-wars-prequels-obi-wan-series-disney-plus-b434088.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2004, Lucas reflected that his transition from independent to corporate filmmaker mirrored the story of ''Star Wars'' character [[Darth Vader]] in some ways, but concluded he was glad to be able to make his films the way he wanted to.<ref>''[[Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy]]'' (2004). DVD. [[20th Century Fox Television]]. Event occurs at 2:24:45.</ref>

[[File:~~George Lucas~~George_Lucas_cropped_2009.jpg|thumb|Lucas inat the 2009 Venice Film ~~2007~~Festival]]

Lucas collaborated with [[Jeff Nathanson]] as a writer of the 2008 film ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'', directed by Steven Spielberg. Similar to the ''Star Wars'' prequels, the reception was mixed with fans and critics alike. From 2008 to 2014, Lucas also served as the creator and executive producer for a second ''Star Wars'' animated series on Cartoon Network, ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'' which premiered with a [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|feature film of the same name]] before airing its first episode. The supervising director for this animated series was [[Dave Filoni]], who was chosen by Lucas and closely collaborated with him on its development.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars/20967/dave-filoni-interview-star-wars-the-clone-wars |title=Dave Filoni interview: Star Wars: The Clone Wars |date=October 17, 2011 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194204/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/dave-filoni-interview-star-wars-the-clone-wars/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sknr.net/2008/08/14/george-lucas-and-dave-filoni-talk-star-warsthe-clone-wars/ |title=George Lucas and Dave Filoni talk Star Wars:The Clone Wars |last=minshewnetworks |date=August 14, 2008 |access-date=January 23, 2017 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194206/http://sknr.net/2008/08/14/george-lucas-and-dave-filoni-talk-star-warsthe-clone-wars/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcNXPNXOv2A |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/hcNXPNXOv2A| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Dave Filoni Extended Interview – The Star Wars Show |last=Star Wars |date=August 12, 2016 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/new-lucasfilm-animation-projects/ |title=Dave Filoni Now Overseeing Creative Development of New Lucasfilm Animation Projects |date=September 26, 2016 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=September 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927123921/https://www.slashfilm.com/new-lucasfilm-animation-projects/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.monkeysfightingrobots.com/how-dave-filoni-redefined-star-wars/ |title=How Dave Filoni Redefined 'Star Wars' |date=December 11, 2015 |access-date=January 23, 2017 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194152/https://monkeysfightingrobots.co/how-dave-filoni-redefined-star-wars/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> This series bridged the events between ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''Revenge of the Sith'', and featured the last ''Star Wars'' stories in which Lucas was involved in a major way.

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In January 2012, Lucas announced his retirement from producing large [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]] films, and instead re-focusing his career on smaller, independently budgeted features.<ref name="NYT Lucas" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/george-lucas-ready-focus-personal-movies/ |title=George Lucas Ready to Retire From Blockbuster Filmmaking |last=Fischer |first=Russ |publisher=[[/Film]] |date=January 17, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2012 |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301004157/https://www.slashfilm.com/george-lucas-ready-focus-personal-movies/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.movieline.com/2012/01/17/george-lucas-promises-retirement-from-blockbusters-not-counting-indiana-jones-5/ |title=George Lucas Promises Retirement (From Blockbusters ... Not Counting Indiana Jones 5) |last1=Yamato |first1=Jen |work=Movie Line |date=January 17, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2012 |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301021149/http://www.movieline.com/2012/01/17/george-lucas-promises-retirement-from-blockbusters-not-counting-indiana-jones-5/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2012, it was announced that producer [[Kathleen Kennedy (film producer)|Kathleen Kennedy]], a long-term collaborator with Steven Spielberg and a producer of the ''Indiana Jones'' films, had been appointed as co-chair of Lucasfilm Ltd.<ref name=SWcom1Jun2012>[https://www.starwars.com/news/kathleen_kennedy_to_become_co-chair_of_lucasfilm-ltd.html "Kathleen Kennedy to become Co-Chair of Lucasfilm Ltd."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029134458/http://starwars.com/news/kathleen_kennedy_to_become_co-chair_of_lucasfilm-ltd.html |date=October 29, 2012 }}, ''StarWars.com'', June 1, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.</ref><ref name=LATimes2Jun2012>Richard Verrier and Ben Fritz, [https://~~articles~~www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012/-jun/-02~~/business/~~-la-fi-ct-lucas-kennedy-20120602-story.html "Kathleen Kennedy to helm Lucasfilm as George Lucas phases out"] ~~{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202045041/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/02/business/la-fi-ct-lucas-kennedy-20120602 |date=February 2, 2019 }}~~, ''Los Angeles Times'', June 2, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.</ref> It was reported that Kennedy would work alongside Lucas, who would remain chief executive and serve as co-chairman for at least one year, after which she would succeed him as the company's sole leader.<ref name=SWcom1Jun2012 /><ref name=LATimes2Jun2012 /> With the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney, Lucas is currently Disney's second-largest single shareholder, after the estate of [[Steve Jobs]].<ref name="WSJ Lucas">{{cite news |first=Joseph B. |last=White |title=The Mouse and the Wookie: Lucas Becomes a Big Disney Shareholder |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=October 30, 2012 |access-date=October 31, 2012 |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2012/10/30/the-mouse-and-the-wookie-lucas-becomes-a-big-disney-shareholder/ |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194203/https://www.wsj.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lucas worked as a creative consultant on the [[Star Wars sequel trilogy|''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy]]'s first film, ''[[The Force Awakens]]''.<ref name=PM>{{cite web |work=[[PopMatters]] |author=Maçek III, J.C. |title=Can Star Wars Be Saved? |date=August 27, 2018 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/can-star-wars-be-saved-2598718617.html |access-date=August 27, 2018 |archive-date=August 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828104231/https://www.popmatters.com/can-star-wars-be-saved-2598718617.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Lucas's involvement included attending early story meetings; according to Lucas, "I mostly say, 'You can't do this. You can do that.' You know, 'The cars don't have wheels. They fly with antigravity.' There's a million little pieces ... I know all that stuff."<ref name=BloombergMar2013>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-07/how-disney-bought-lucasfilm-and-its-plans-for-star-wars |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308091739/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-07/how-disney-bought-lucasfilm-and-its-plans-for-star-wars |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2013 |title=How Disney Bought Lucasfilm—and Its Plans for 'Star Wars' |last=Leonard |first=Devin |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |date=March 7, 2013 |access-date=May 26, 2013}}</ref> Lucas's son Jett told ''The Guardian '' that his father was "very torn" about having sold the rights to the franchise, despite having hand-picked Abrams to direct, and that his father was "there to guide" but that "he wants to let it go and become its new generation."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/oct/09/star-wars-george-lucas-jj-abrams |title=Star Wars sequels: George Lucas 'constantly talking' to JJ Abrams |author=Child, Ben |date=October 9, 2013 |access-date=January 23, 2015 |work=[[The Guardian]] |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010083951/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/oct/09/star-wars-george-lucas-jj-abrams |url-status=live }}</ref> Among the materials turned over to the production team were story treatments Lucas developed when he considered creating Episodes ''VII''–''IX'' himself; in January 2015, Lucas stated that Disney had discarded his story ideas.<ref name="Collider">{{cite news |last=Chitwood |first=Adam |title=George Lucas Says His Treatments for the New STAR WARS Films Were Discarded |date=January 21, 2015 |url=https://collider.com/george-lucas-new-star-wars-movies-treatments/ |work=Collider |access-date=January 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127051200/http://collider.com/george-lucas-new-star-wars-movies-treatments/ |archive-date=January 27, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Lucas_treatment_unused">{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/How-George-Lucas-Star-Wars-7-Ideas-Were-Used-By-Disney-69271.html |title=How George Lucas' Star Wars 7 Ideas Were Used By Disney |access-date=January 20, 2015 |publisher=Cinema Blend |year=2015 |author=Nick Romano |format=Written coverage /Video interview |archive-date=December 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211034620/http://www.cinemablend.com/new/How-George-Lucas-Star-Wars-7-Ideas-Were-Used-By-Disney-69271.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

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[[File:Secretary Kerry Chats With 2015 Kennedy Center Honors Recipient George Lucas (23244763499).jpg|thumb|left|Lucas with Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] in Washington, D.C., on December 5, 2015]]

''The Force Awakens'', directed by [[J. J. Abrams]], was released on December 18, 2015. Kathleen Kennedy produced the film and its sequels.<ref>{{cite news |url=~~http~~https://www.businessinsider.com~~.au~~/george-lucas-creative-consultant-role-in-star-wars-2012-11 |work=Business Insider Australia |title=Here's What George Lucas' Role As Creative Consultant in the New Star Wars Films Mean |access-date=August 29, 2014 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194218/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/george-lucas-creative-consultant-role-in-star-wars-2012-11 |url-status=~~dead~~live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=~~http~~https://www.businessinsider.com~~.au~~/a-new-star-wars-is-coming-in-2015-2012-10 |work=Business Insider Australia |title=A New Star Wars Is Coming |access-date=August 29, 2014 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194254/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/a-new-star-wars-is-coming-in-2015-2012-10 |url-status=~~dead~~live }}</ref> The new sequel trilogy was jointly produced by Lucasfilm and [[The Walt Disney Company]], which had acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.<ref name="British Broadcasting Corporation">{{cite news |title=Disney buys Star Wars maker Lucasfilm from George Lucas |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20146942 |work=BBC News Website |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=October 31, 2012 |access-date=June 20, 2018 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194241/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-20146942 |url-status=live }}</ref> During an interview with talk show host and journalist [[Charlie Rose]] that aired on December 24, 2015, Lucas likened his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney to a divorce and outlined the creative differences between him and the producers of ''The Force Awakens''. Lucas went on to say that he needed to support the company and its employees who were going to suffer financially.<ref>{{Citation |title=George Lucas Calls Disney "White Slavers" in Charlie Rose interview | date=January 2, 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jWtbJxzGpQ |language=en |access-date=October 27, 2022 |archive-date=October 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027235404/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jWtbJxzGpQ |url-status=live }}</ref> Lucas described the previous six ''Star Wars'' films as his "children" and defended his vision for them, while criticizing ''The Force Awakens'' for having a "retro feel", saying: "I worked very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships – you know, to make it new." Lucas also drew some criticism and subsequently apologized for his remark likening Disney to "white slavers".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Child |first1=Ben |title=Attack of the moans: George Lucas hits out at 'retro' Star Wars: The Force Awakens |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/31/george-lucas-attacks-retro-star-wars-the-force-awakens |access-date=April 18, 2016 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=December 31, 2015 |archive-date=October 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001032034/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/31/george-lucas-attacks-retro-star-wars-the-force-awakens |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Peterson |first1=Jeff |title=George Lucas elaborates on his reaction to 'The Force Awakens' |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865645039/George-Lucas-elaborates-on-his-reaction-to-The-Force-Awakens.html |access-date=April 18, 2016 |newspaper=[[Deseret News]] |date=January 7, 2016 |archive-date=April 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414125407/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865645039/George-Lucas-elaborates-on-his-reaction-to-The-Force-Awakens.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2015, Lucas wrote the CGI film ''[[Strange Magic (film)|Strange Magic]]'', his first musical. The film was produced at [[Skywalker Ranch]]. [[Gary Rydstrom]] directed the movie.<ref name="Heat Vision">{{cite web |url=http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/01/george-lucas-cgi-musical-kevin-munroe.html |title=George Lucas producing a CGI musical! Featuring ... fairies? |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=January 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130213432/http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/01/george-lucas-cgi-musical-kevin-munroe.html |archive-date=January 30, 2010}}</ref> At the same time the sequel trilogy was announced, a [[Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny|fifth installment]] of the ''Indiana Jones'' series also entered pre-development phase with [[Harrison Ford]] and Steven Spielberg set to return. Lucas originally did not specify whether the selling of Lucasfilm would affect his involvement with the film. In October 2016, Lucas announced his decision to not be involved in the story of the film but would remain an executive producer.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2016/10/24/george-lucas-is-no-longer-involved-in-indiana-jones-5/ |title=George Lucas Is No Longer Involved In 'Indiana Jones 5' |first=Dani Di |last=Placido |website=[[Forbes]] |access-date=August 28, 2017 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194242/https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2016/10/24/george-lucas-is-no-longer-involved-in-indiana-jones-5/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/indiana-jones-5-george-lucas-david-koepp/ |title=Exclusive: George Lucas Not Involved in 'Indiana Jones 5' Story; Writer David Koepp Talks 'Crystal Skull' |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date=October 24, 2016 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194243/https://collider.com/indiana-jones-5-george-lucas-david-koepp/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016, ''[[Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]]'', the first film of a ''Star Wars'' anthology series was released. It told the story of the rebels who stole the plans for the [[Death Star]] featured in the original ''Star Wars'' film, and it was reported that Lucas liked it more than ''The Force Awakens''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/george-lucas-likes-rogue-one-more-than-force-awakens-a-1789694908 |title=George Lucas Likes Rogue One More Than Force Awakens, and Other Fun Facts We Learned This Weekend |first=Cheryl |last=Eddy |date=December 5, 2016 |access-date=January 18, 2017 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162409/https://io9.gizmodo.com/george-lucas-likes-rogue-one-more-than-force-awakens-a-1789694908 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[The Last Jedi]]'', the second film in the sequel trilogy, was released in 2017; Lucas described the film as "beautifully made".<ref>{{cite web |last=Parker |first=Ryan |title=George Lucas Thinks 'The Last Jedi' Was "Beautifully Made" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-george-lucas-thinks-last-jedi-was-beautifully-made-1067092 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=April 25, 2019 |date=December 12, 2017 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162249/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-george-lucas-thinks-last-jedi-was-beautifully-made-1067092 |url-status=live }}</ref>

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===Lucasfilm===

[[File:Lucasfilm logo.svg|220x124px|thumb|right|Lucasfilm Ltd. logo]]

Lucas founded a film production company [[Lucasfilm]] in 1971,<ref>{{cite book| first=Stuart |last=Moss |title=The Entertainment Industry |location=Wallingford, UK |publisher=cab international|year=2009 |page=89|isbn=9781845935511}}</ref> and incorporated as Lucasfilm Ltd. on September 12, 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/CBS/SearchResults?SearchType=CORP&SearchCriteria=lucasfilm&SearchSubType=Keyword|title=Business Search - Business Entities – Business Programs – California Secretary of State|website=businesssearch.sos.ca.gov|access-date=December 13, 2017|archive-date=June 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613210649/https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/CBS/SearchResults?SearchType=CORP&SearchCriteria=lucasfilm&SearchSubType=Keyword|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the mid-1970s, the company's offices were located on the [[Universal Studios Lot]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Roy |title=Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years – Volume 1 |year=2015 |isbn=9780785191063 |page=4|publisher=Marvel }}</ref> Lucas founded the '''Star Wars Corporation, Inc.''' as a subsidiary to control various legal and financial aspects of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977),<ref>{{Cite video|title=[[Empire of Dreams|Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy]]|medium=Documentary film|date=2004|publisher=Prometheus Entertainment/[[Fox 21 Television Studios|Fox Television Studios]]/Lucasfilm|minutes=17:30}}</ref> including copyright, and sequel and merchandising rights. It also produced the 1978 ''[[Star Wars Holiday Special]]'' for [[20th Century Fox Television]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Digiacomo|first1=Frank|title=The Han Solo Comedy Hour!|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2008/12/star_wars_special200812|date=December 2008|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=October 2, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151230230058/http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2008/12/star_wars_special200812|url-status=live}}</ref> That year, Lucas hired Los Angeles-based real-estate specialist Charles Weber to manage the company, telling him that he could keep the job as long as he made money.<ref name=Life/> Lucas wanted the focus of the company to be making independent films, but the company gradually became enlarged from five employees to almost 100, increasing in middle management and running up costs. In 1980, after Weber asked Lucas for fifty million dollars to invest in other companies and suggested that they sell [[Skywalker Ranch]] to do so, Lucas fired Weber and had to let half of the Los Angeles staff go.<ref name=Life>{{cite magazine |last=Pollock |first=Dale |title=A Man and His Empire: The Private Life of 'Star Wars' Creator George Lucas |magazine=Life |date=June 1983 |pages=94, 96}}</ref> By the same year, the corporate subsidiary had been discontinued and its business was absorbed into the various divisions of Lucasfilm.

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===ILM===

Lucas founded [[Industrial Light & Magic]] in 1975, he wanted his 1977 film ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' to include visual effects that had never been seen on film before.<ref name=SW>{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/themovies/saga/19990715news.html|title=Industrial Light & Magic: History|work=StarWars.com|publisher=Lucasfilm|date=July 15, 1999|access-date=February 1, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216050728/http://www.starwars.com/themovies/saga/19990715news.html|archive-date=February 16, 2011}}</ref> After discovering that the in-house effects department at [[20th Century Fox]] was no longer operational, Lucas approached [[Douglas Trumbull]], best known for the effects on ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' (1968) and ''[[Silent Running]]'' (1972). Trumbull declined as he was already committed to working on [[Steven Spielberg]]'s film ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' (1977), but suggested his assistant [[John Dykstra]] to Lucas. Dykstra brought together a small team of college students, artists, and engineers and set them up in a warehouse in [[Van Nuys, California]]. After seeing the map for the location was zoned as [[Light industry|light industrial]], Lucas named the group Industrial Light and Magic,<ref>{{Citation|title=Interviewing Return of the Jedi Lucasfilm VFX Editor Bill Kimberlin – Rule of Two| date=April 7, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeIXcIwJ-Zo| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211109/aeIXcIwJ-Zo| archive-date=November 9, 2021 | url-status=live|access-date=April 8, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which became the Special Visual Effects department on ''Star Wars''. Alongside Dykstra, other leading members of the original ILM team were [[Ken Ralston]], [[Richard Edlund]], [[Dennis Muren]], [[Robert Blalack]], [[Joe Johnston]], [[Phil Tippett]], [[Steve Gawley]], [[Lorne Peterson]] and Paul Huston.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/ilm-reunion-40-years-of-star-wars |title=We Meet Again At Last: ILM Veterans Reunite To Celebrate 40 Years Of Star Wars |website=starwars.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-date=September 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921103142/https://www.starwars.com/news/ilm-reunion-40-years-of-star-wars |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Lucas Museum of Narrative Art===

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The score was released to critical acclaim and won Williams his third [[Academy Award for Best Original Score]]. The score was listed by the [[American Film Institute]] in 2005 as the [[AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores|greatest film score of all time]]. The professional relationship formed by Lucas and Williams extended through to Williams working on all of Lucas's blockbuster franchise movies: the remaining two films of the [[Original Trilogy|Star Wars original trilogy]]; all three films of [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|prequel trilogy]] developed over fifteen years later; and the five films of the Indiana Jones franchise, in which Williams reunited with his long-time collaborator Spielberg. In his collaborations with Lucas, Williams received six of his fifty-two Academy Award nominations (''Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, [[Raiders of the Lost Ark]], [[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]],'' and ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''). After Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney, Williams stayed on board with the franchise, and continued to score the remaining three films of the "[[Skywalker Saga]]" (''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens|The Force Awakens]], [[Star Wars: The Last Jedi|The Last Jedi]]'', and ''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker|The Rise of Skywalker]],'' for which he received a further three Oscar nominations), after which he announced his "retirement" from the series.<ref>{{Cite web|title=John Williams is retiring from Star Wars|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/scifi/2018-03-08/john-williams-is-retiring-from-star-wars/|access-date=December 19, 2020|website=Radio Times|language=en|archive-date=December 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194338/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/scifi/2018-03-08/john-williams-is-retiring-from-star-wars/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Lucas was in attendance for a ceremony honoring Williams as the 44th recipient of the [[AFI Life Achievement Award]], the first composer to receive the honor, and gave a speech in praise of their relationship and his work.<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Lucas toasts John Williams|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMWzkYgfiUA| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/wMWzkYgfiUA|archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=December 19, 2020|website=YouTube| date=August 5, 2016 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> In interviews, and most famously at the [[Star Wars Celebration|40th Anniversary Star Wars Celebration]] convention, Lucas has repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of Williams to the Star Wars saga, affectionately referring to him as the "secret sauce" of his movies.<ref>{{Citation|title=John Williams conducts surprise concert at Star Wars Celebration 2017| date=April 13, 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntRYS1OJj1Y|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ntRYS1OJj1Y|archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=May 15, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Philanthropy==

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In 1969, Lucas married film editor [[Marcia Lucas|Marcia Lou Griffin]],<ref name="marriage1">{{cite web |url=https://people.com/celebrity/george-lucas-weds-mellody-hobson/ |title=George Lucas Marries Mellody Hobson |access-date=October 22, 2019 |date=June 24, 2013 |first=Andrea |last=Billups |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216031540/http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20711631%2C00.html |archive-date=December 16, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> who went on to win an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for her editing work on the original ''Star Wars'' film. They adopted a daughter, [[Amanda Lucas (fighter)|Amanda Lucas]], in 1981,<ref name="children1">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-george-lucas-baby-girl-mellody-hobson-20130812,0,807729.story |title=Newlyweds George Lucas and Mellody Hobson welcome a baby girl |access-date=August 15, 2013 |date=August 12, 2013 |first=Christie |last=D'Zurilla |work=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194332/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-george-lucas-baby-girl-mellody-hobson-20130812-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and divorced in 1983.<ref name="marriage1"/> Lucas subsequently adopted two more children as a single parent: daughter [[Katie Lucas]], born in 1988, and son Jett Lucas, born in 1993.<ref name="children1"/> His three eldest children all appeared in the three ''[[Star Wars]]'' prequels, as did Lucas himself. Following his divorce, Lucas was in a relationship with singer [[Linda Ronstadt]] in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://people.com/archive/whats-new-with-linda-ronstadt-shes-singing-her-love-songs-to-star-wars-czar-george-lucas-vol-21-no-12/ |title=What's New with Linda Ronstadt? She's Singing Her Love Songs to Star Wars Czar George Lucas |access-date=October 22, 2019 |date=March 26, 1984 |work=People |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194313/https://people.com/archive/whats-new-with-linda-ronstadt-shes-singing-her-love-songs-to-star-wars-czar-george-lucas-vol-21-no-12/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/19/garden/at-lunch-with-linda-ronstadt-and-this-is-what-48-looks-like.html |title=AT LUNCH WITH: Linda Ronstadt; And This Is What 48 Looks Like |access-date=August 15, 2013 |date=April 19, 1995 |first=Stephen |last=Holden |work=The New York Times |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194311/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/19/garden/at-lunch-with-linda-ronstadt-and-this-is-what-48-looks-like.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lucas began dating [[Mellody Hobson]], president of [[Ariel Investments]] and chairwoman of [[Starbucks]], in 2006, after meeting in 2005 at a business conference. She formerly served as chairwoman at [[DreamWorks Animation]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Art |first=The Lucas Museum of Narrative |date=2023-07-04 |title=George Lucas |url=https://lucasmuseum.org/george-lucas |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art |language=en |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216193627/https://lucasmuseum.org/george-lucas/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9303267 |title="Indy" survives Cannes critics |access-date=September 26, 2010 |date=May 18, 2008 |author=Germain, David |work=The Denver Post via AP |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194311/https://www.denverpost.com/2008/05/18/indy-survives-cannes-critics/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/01/18/movies/awardsseason/0118-REDCARPET_14.html |work=The New York Times |title=Red Carpet at the Golden Globes |date=January 18, 2010 |access-date=May 3, 2010 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194335/http://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/01/18/movies/awardsseason/0118-REDCARPET_14.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://investor.starbucks.com/corporate-governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx |title=Board of Directors |publisher=Starbucks |access-date=June 3, 2024}}</ref> Lucas and Hobson announced their engagement in January 2013,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-lucas-mellody-hobson-engaged-408012 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |title=George Lucas Engaged to DreamWorks Animation Chairman Mellody Hobson |date=January 3, 2013 |access-date=January 3, 2013 |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430221020/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-lucas-mellody-hobson-engaged-408012 |url-status=live }}</ref> and married on June 22, 2013, at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in [[Marin County, California]].<ref name="marriage1"/> They have one daughter together, born via [[Surrogacy|surrogate]] in August 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/everest-hobson-lucas_n_3742950.html |work=Huffington Post |title=Everest Hobson Lucas Born To George Lucas And Mellody Hobson |date=August 12, 2013 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194306/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/everest-hobson-lucas_n_3742950 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lucas was born and raised in a [[Methodism|Methodist]] family.<ref name=pollockskywalking /> The religious and mythical themes in ''Star Wars'' were inspired by Lucas's interest in the writings of mythologist [[Joseph Campbell]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/george-lucas/about-george-lucas/649/ |title=George Lucas – About George Lucas – American Masters |work=PBS |date=January 13, 2004 |access-date=August 28, 2017 |archive-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227194307/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/george-lucas-about-george-lucas/649/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and he would eventually come to identify strongly with the [[Eastern philosophies|Eastern religious philosophies]] he studied and incorporated into his films, which were a major inspiration for "[[the Force]]". Lucas has come to state that his religion is "[[Buddhism|Buddhist]] Methodist". He resides in [[Marin County]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Director: So, What's the Deal with Leia's Hair? |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002327,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327050706/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002327,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 27, 2009 |magazine=Time |date=April 29, 2002 |access-date=September 2, 2011 |first=Jess |last=Cagle}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adherents.com/people/pl/George_Lucas.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050612235541/http://www.adherents.com/people/pl/George_Lucas.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 12, 2005 |title=The Religious Affiliation of Director George Lucas |publisher=Adherents.com |date=n.d.}}</ref>

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| 1977

| ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars~~: Episode IV – A New Hope~~]]''

|rowspan=4| [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]]

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[[Category:American science fiction writers]]

[[Category:Businesspeople from the San Francisco Bay Area]]

~~[[Category:Cinema of the San Francisco Bay Area]]~~

[[Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]

[[Category:Film directors from California]]

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[[Category:People from Modesto, California]]

[[Category:American science fiction artists]]

[[Category:~~Science~~American science fiction film directors]]

[[Category:Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductees]]

[[Category:Screenwriters from California]]