George Lucas explains his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney and retire.
Legendary filmmaker George Lucas has shared the real motivations behind his departure from the Star Wars universe and the sale of his company Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012.
The right time
In a recent interview with French media outlet Brut at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Lucas, best known for writing and directing the first Star Wars feature film in 1977, opened up about his retirement. “With the rise of streaming platforms, especially Netflix, we can see the problems with theatrical distribution,” he said. Realizing that the industry was on the brink of a “major transition”, he felt the time was right to take a step forward.
Lucas claims that streaming has revolutionized the film industry. “Streaming is very powerful, and it’s great, it’s really improved the film business,” he said. “The movie business in theaters… we could see the problems, and it wasn’t good. So everyone was looking to save it, but no one knew what streaming would do. And Netflix was starting up and at that time I said: – I don’t know what this will be, there will be a big transition in the business, I don’t know much about it, and I. He sold the company and retired.”
The sale marked the end of Lucas’ direct involvement with the Galactic franchise, which remains one of the five most profitable franchises in history. It was their decision to realize that streaming services are about to change the way content is consumed and distributed due to the rapid changes in the film industry.
The evolution of Star Wars in the streaming era
Since Lucas took over the reins, the franchise has grown, especially in the streaming era with series such as Andor, Rebels, The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian. These serials have captured the attention of the audience and set new records.
On the big screen, The Force Awakens was a huge success, grossing $2,068,455,512 worldwide. This brings the trilogy’s conclusion, The Rise of Skywalker, to nearly a billion dollars.
Successes and failures
The Last Jedi remains one of the most controversial entries in the franchise. Despite a divided reception among fans, it was a critical success and performed well at the box office, grossing $1,332,697,499 in its first release and re-release. This overall fan response, however, marked its financial success, surpassing The Rise of Skywalker by a quarter of a billion dollars.
Rogue One received praise for its acting, story, visuals, soundtrack, and cinematography. It was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $1 billion at the box office.
A lasting legacy
The Galaxy franchise continues to thrive and succeed on multiple platforms, proving its enduring appeal in the post-Lucas era. The transition to streaming not only created new stories in the universe, but also ensured that the franchise would remain relevant and exciting for new generations of fans.
Saga’s impact extends beyond entertainment. The franchise has influenced pop culture, technology and design, inspiring filmmakers, artists and content creators. With a community of fans and events like Star Wars Celebration, the franchise’s legacy continues to grow, cementing its position as a cornerstone of global entertainment.