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45 Years Ago Today, Hollywood Took A Gamble On A Weird, Scrappy Little Sci-Fi Movie Called Star Wars

by
PRG
May 26, 2022

Star Wars almost didn’t happen. Universal passed on it. United Artists passed on it. Even Disney turned it down, which is ironic given the company’s recent $4 billion acquisition of the franchise. Only 20th Century Fox was willing to take a gamble on this weird, scrappy little sci-fi movie—encouraged by creator George Lucas earning a Best Picture nomination at the 1974 Academy Awards for American Graffiti. This quirky 1950s coming-of-age comedy drama couldn’t be more different from the outlandish space opera Lucas was pitching, but the studio saw something in this enthusiastic young filmmaker.

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