The Battle to Make Star Wars

Movies that change cinema often come from outsiders – whether it’s Orson Welles making Citizen Kane or George Lucas making Star Wars a.k.a. Episode IV: A New Hope. The excellent graphic novel Lucas Wars by artist Renaud Roche and writer Laurent Hopman just came out in English (the original French title is Les Guerres de Lucas.) I talk with Renaud and Laurent about why the making of Star Wars was such a long shot, and how the production changed the lives of everyone involved. Plus, we discuss the unsung heroes who helped make Star Wars happen -- like Lucas’s ex wife Marcia and studio mogul Alan Ladd Jr. Imaginary Worlds was just nominated for a Signal Award for Best Arts & Culture podcast! That also means the show is eligible for a Listener's Choice Award. You can vote for the show at vote.signalawards.com. The deadline is October 9th. Thank you! This episode is sponsored by Hims and Remi. Go to shopremi.com/IMAGINARY and use the code IMAGINARY to get up to 50% off your nightguard at checkout. For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for hair loss and more, visit Hims.com/IMAGINARY. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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The Battle to Make Star Wars is an episode from Imaginary Worlds by Eric Molinsky.

This episode is 37:57 long.

This episode was published on Sep 24, 2025.

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