How did George Lucas make his money? Above all else, it's the merchandise. The sales of Star Wars toys and tie-ins outsold the smash hit movies' tickets manyfold. Ironically, Star Wars merchandise almost didn't happen, because, like most major studios, all major toy companies didn't believe in the project.
Lucas does not earn any royalties from the newer movies or shows as a writer, director, or even creator. However, because of the Disney stock shares he received as part of the transaction, Lucas still sees a hefty payout due to the value of the stocks.
Under Iger, Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4 billion, a deal under which Lucas received 37.1 million Disney shares. Lucas, who had founded the company in 1971, has an estimated net worth of $7.9 billion, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Lucas would forgo additional guaranteed salary of over half-a-million dollars in exchange for retaining all the merchandising and licensing rights for the Star Wars franchise.
What George Lucas Did with the Money from Selling Lucasfilm to Disney
What did George Lucas do with the Star Wars money?
'Star Wars' creator George Lucas has largely retired from filmmaking since he sold his Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012 for $4.1 billion in stock and cash. Lucas is now focused on philanthropy: his charitable family foundation has more than $1 billion in assets.
Why is George Lucas not involved in Star Wars anymore?
When George Lucas sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to Disney in 2012, he walked away from any chance of telling more stories set in a galaxy far, far away. Although he had story treatments and ideas of his own, the Star Wars sequel trilogy was ultimately made without his involvement.
And with a net worth estimated by Forbes of $5.4 billion, mainly thanks to selling Lucasfilm to Disney, “Star Wars” creator Lucas is in a galaxy far, far away from anyone else on the list. Though his peer Steven Spielberg comes in at second place, with a net worth of $3.7 billion.
Net Worth: $5.5 Billion | Age: 79 | Citizenship: U.S.
The Star Wars director, who debuted as a billionaire in 1997, is the richest celebrity thanks in large part to his production company LucasFilm, which he sold to Disney in 2012 for more than $4 billion in cash and stock.
Disney acquired “Toy Story” creator Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion. The company became the owner of the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” franchises following the purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012.
Lucas founded the entertainment studio in 1971, and he then sold it to Disney in a deal worth more than $4 billion. Kim Kardashian Is Being Sued By the Judd Foundation.
George Lucas' six-episode saga forms the foundation of the Star Wars franchise, but he originally considered a 12-movie plan. This idea changed through the years, shrinking to six live-action movies, an animated feature, and later expanding to 12 total movies after Disney took charge of the franchise.
Lucasfilm Ltd., which was founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas and is now owned by The Walt Disney Company, owns the rights to the Star Wars characters.
He has been an ardent advocate for education at all levels. For 25 years, he has been chairman of the George Lucas Education Foundation, which provides materials and strategies to innovate in classrooms from kindergarten through high school.
Lucas himself has been called a “Buddhist/Methodist,” though it's not clear that he identifies with either religious tradition. “Let's say I'm spiritual,” he told Time magazine in 1999.
Skywalker Sound remains based at the Ranch, for which Lucasfilm pays a rental fee to George Lucas, who remains the property's owner. Although Lucas maintains his offices there, he does not reside at the Ranch. Lucasfilm Games was located at the ranch during the early company years.
How old was Steven Spielberg when he met George Lucas?
The year was 1977, and a young George Lucas and an even younger Steven Spielberg were talking on a beach in Maui. Lucas was 33 years old; Spielberg was 31. Lucas had already written and directed 10 short films and respectably successful two full length features, THX 1138 in 1971 and American Graffiti in 1973.
Lucas, who received 37.1 million Disney shares as part of Disney's $4.05 billion purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012, is currently the largest individual investor in the company, multiple sources confirmed to CNBC. In a statement provided to CNBC, Lucas wrote: “Creating magic is not for amateurs.
