George Lucas

With the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, George Lucas created two of the most prominent and enduring brands in entertainment.  

Behind the scenes, he spearheaded innovations in sound, special effects, and digital filmmaking that revolutionized the industry. His second film, American Graffiti (1973), established him as a commercial filmmaker. Nonetheless, Lucas had difficulty setting up his next film. His hardships were amply rewarded with the release of Star Wars (1977), which had some of the highest box-office earnings of any film to date. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) continued the original saga.

In 1999, Lucas helmed a prequel trilogy: The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). After Disney purchased the franchise in 2012, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), and Rogue One (2016) were released, with future films planned every year.

Films directed and produced by George Lucas have won numerous Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences also honored Lucas with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1992.