George Lucas Struggles to Reinvent Himself

GuyMannDude writes "Wired has a lengthy article about what lies ahead for George Lucas. Originally a member of a maverick group of young filmmakers who were at odds with the thinking and methods of the major studios, he has now become the most financially successful director in history by marketing the ultimate popcorn fodder. With the Star Wars saga ending, Lucas now struggles with how to reinvent himself." I imagine it will be hard to get away from Star Wars, given that he's producing television shows set in the fictional universe.

Comments

Name something good by Lucas

[njfuzzy]

I hate to be so blunt, but he is struggling to invent himself because he has not released a single good movie outside of the Star Wars series. Ever.

He isn't a great filmmaker. He isn't even a passable mass-market filmmaker. He's a guy who made a cult hit that happened to be a global hit.

And then he made a series with Spielberg.

Re:Name something good by Lucas

[JWW]

He also created the best special effects company in the movie business.

Started the outfit that later spun off from his empire to create Pixar.

Owns the company that does sound work for most movies.

Say what you will about George and the Star Wars movies, He's actually made more of a contribution to filmmaking outside of the Star Wars franchise than within it.

Re:Step One...

[sg3000]

> Trust me George... you can only go up from here if you follow
> these simple instructions.

This is getting annoying.

George Lucas doesn't read Slashdot, and he probably never will.

We're all sorry he did not use your saliva-encrusted fan fiction as the basis for his script for Episodes I-III, but millions of people enjoyed the movies anyway.

Comments such as yours and of the two dozen other minority ranters on Slashdot are getting irritating to no end. If you don't like the movies, fine -- click on Preferences, then click on Homepage, and de-select Star Wars. There! wasn't that easy?

I hope George Lucas makes Jar-Jar a freakin' Jedi Master in Episode III just to piss off the "George Lucas killed my childhood" crowd.

Re:It's obvious what he's going to do

[SirWhoopass]

I disagree. I know the standard Slashdot claim is that Lucas is only in it for the money. Squeezing the last dollars out of your childhood memories, etc.

But I don't believe it.

Look at the way he lives. Watch any of the biographies on him. He has never been someone in it for the money. See Donald Trump for an example of how someone in it for the money lives. George could afford a wildly lavish lifestyle. But he doesn't live it.

All the money goes back into the process. ILM. THX. Skywalker Sound. LucasArts. Etc. He likes the job. He likes creating stuff. He likes being a part of new filmmaking technology. That's what he is in it for.

I'll readily agree that he isn't necessarily very good at making movies. At least, not at making good movies. But he hit it big with Star Wars (ANH), and has leveraged it to continute doing what he likes. Fox studios would do anything to get 7-9 made, but it isn't their decision. They gave that right to Lucas back in the 70s.