George Lucas Tried To Buy A Genre-defining Sci-fi Franchise Before He Made Star Wars

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George Lucas will everlastingly beryllium synonymous pinch "Star Wars." Even though he sold Lucasfilm to Disney successful 2012 and hasn't been progressive pinch nan franchise for good complete a decade, he directed nan original 1977 classical that started it all. Science fabrication simply wouldn't beryllium nan aforesaid without him. But what if Lucas had tackled different celebrated sci-fi franchise alternatively than create a postulation far, acold away? It turns retired that was thing nan filmmaker astatine slightest explored.

In a 1977 rumor of New Times, Philip Kaufman, who was nan first prime to nonstop an unrealized type of nan first "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," revealed that Lucas really had his sights group connected nan legendary franchise created by Gene Roddenberry earlier he made his ain abstraction epic. Here's what Kaufman had to opportunity astir it:

"George Lucas is simply a bully friend of mine. He told maine earlier he made 'Star Wars' he'd made inquiries arsenic to whether 'Star Trek' was disposable to beryllium bought. I thought George had a awesome point going. When I was asked if I would beryllium willing successful doing 'Star Trek,' good ... I felt I could spell done nan roof."

There's overmuch to process here. Lucas was coming disconnected of "American Graffiti," which was a large deed moreover though Hollywood was convinced it would bomb. Lucas besides had "THX 1138" nether his belt. He was surely connected nan rise, but didn't person nan cache (or nan cash) to outright bargain nan authorities to "Star Trek" aliases thing for illustration that. Perhaps he was going to effort to person different workplace to bargain it for him? Or activity an extracurricular financial partner? Either way, he astatine slightest kicked nan tires connected it.

The ramifications of this chaotic "What if?" proposition are downright dizzying to consider.

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Let's rewind nan clock. "Star Trek: The Original Series" ended successful 1969 pinch nan play 3 section "Turnabout Intruder." Paramount had been processing a movie pinch Gene Roddenberry, but it hadn't materialized by 1977, mostly owed to imaginative differences. Hence, why Philip Kaufman didn't extremity up directing it. Instead, Robert Wise sewage it crossed nan decorativeness statement successful 1979, a mates of years aft "Star Wars" became a immense hit.

George Lucas yet convinced Fox to money his original abstraction epic, alternatively than return a stab astatine thing successful nan "Star Trek" universe. Though it's difficult not to wonderment what Lucas' type of "Trek" mightiness person looked like. We tin only wonderment successful nan astir infinite terms, arsenic there's nary denotation arsenic to what nan filmmaker had successful mind.

What we cognize for judge is that nan history of sci-fi would person been irrevocably changed. Lucas had a hellhole of a clip getting "Star Wars" made, and he virtually couldn't spend mistakes during filming. The fund was tight. Few group believed successful it, and location was small dream it would succeed, fto unsocial go a taste touchstone spanning generations. The sphere of power simply can't beryllium overstated.

"Star Wars" group Ridley Scott connected nan way to making "Alien." It's generated billions of dollars and has fans each complete nan world, astir 50 years later. Countless sci-fi and different genre stories beryllium themselves to what Lucas accomplished. And to think, he could person alternatively played successful a pre-existing sandbox, perchance altering nan early of "Star Trek" from that constituent connected arsenic well. It's each genuinely dizzying to consider, particularly successful nan present and now.

You tin drawback nan "Star Wars" trilogy connected Blu-ray from Amazon.