How Steven Spielberg Made Millions Off 'Star Wars' After A 1977 Bet With George Lucas

Yahoo Movies ^ | 3 hours ago | By Frank Pallotta

[gooblah]

Spielberg got 2.5% of "Star Wars" earnings after Lucas was worried it wouldn't be a success.

A long time ago on a film set far, far away, two directors made a friendly bet about a small space-fantasy film called "Star Wars."

Steven Spielberg would go on to win the bet and take millions of dollars from George Lucas over time.

Here's how the out-of-this-world wager came to be.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[MeshugeMikey]

Local Star Wars ..Park Dubbed Imagination park..on property formerly owned by George Lucas.

Theres an inscription on the statue reading Star Wars developed in San Anselmo CA..1973

I was unaware of this bet... previous to your posting

[SkyDancer]

They should have stopped after the first one. Sequels just don’t do it. Same with “Back To The Future” - first one was great, the next two were abysmal.

[KarlInOhio]

"Of course I was the happy beneficiary of a couple of net points from that movie, which I am still seeing money on today."

Net? Net? There was a net on Star Wars? Boy did the accountants #($*#(# that one up. Every movie is supposed to lose money once the accountants are done.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

They should have stopped after the first one. Sequels just don’t do it. Same with “Back To The Future” - first one was great, the next two were abysmal.

In general, I agree. But I'd disagree for 'Star Wars' - 'The Empire Strikes Back' was a better movie. And 'Back To The Future's sequels were every bit as good as the original - in particular, the 2nd BttF movie is great fun.

[SkyDancer]

Yeah, but that third one of BTTF with the train??? C’mon .... the second BTTF was idiotic. But again, just MHO ...

[Paladin2]

The whole concept of a prequel is entertaining.

[SkyDancer]

Yeah, but that third one of BTTF with the train??? C’mon .... the second BTTF was idiotic. But again, just MHO ... just to add: I think the second Sherlock Holmes and Battle Of The Smithsonian were better than the first ones.

[Southern Magnolia]

Hah. Both Spielberg and Lucas traded stock on those movies with John Milius (better known for “Red Dawn” and being the inspiration for Goodman’s character in “Big Lebowski”)on his surf movie “Big Wednesday” which they were both sure was going to be a HUGE success, forgetting that the rest of the country doesn’t give a hoot about surfing.

[SkyDancer]

So you’re saying the first Star Wars film was a prequel?

[Paladin2]

Depends on your frame of reference....

[SkyDancer]

Dunno, I thought the first one was the first one, so the others were prequels? Or whatever’s?

[Bigtigermike]

Empire Strikes Back was better than the 1st movie hands down. It goes down along with Godfather Part II as some of the best sequels ever

[SkyDancer]

Well it’s just MHO. Take Care :)

[Paladin2]

In Physics, everything is relative.

(Isn't that what Einstein says?)

[SkyDancer]

Well actually Einstein’s teacher told his father that he’d never amount to anything since he’s so stupid.

[publius911]

Bookmark

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Close Encounters was so lame.

[vladimir998]

“1968’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” led the way for the genre but made just $56 million at the box office.”

There are idiots who think $56,000,000 in 1968 dollars is lackluster performance for a $10,500,000 budgeted film?

Jaws made $124,322,872 on a $8,000,000 in 1975.