Even Steven Spielberg underestimated the success of Star Wars when he was first shown the movie. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are two of the most famous film directors of all time, and for good reason. Movies like Star Wars and Jaws are not only era-defining, but profoundly shaped what blockbuster movies are as a concept. After meeting as young filmmakers, the two would often collaborate or offer advice on each other’s projects, and this includes Star Wars.
Few people were confident of the success of Star Wars (now retitled A New Hope) back in 1977. From studio executives to actors involved in the film, not a lot of people expected much from Star Wars. This is perfectly encapsulated in an interview with Lucas and Spielberg, in which they discussed a very early screening of the film. During this phase of production, Lucas was simply looking for feedback from his fellow filmmakers, and he received a mixed bag. Some said they hated it and were sorry for him, but some liked it. Steven Spielberg’s reactions are among the most telling.
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Star Wars Smashed Even Spielberg’s Optimistic Expectations
According to Spielberg, he thought Star Wars was going to be a “big hit”, which doesn’t seem too far off from reality. But he followed that up with a prediction of Star Wars making 50-60 million dollars at the box office. Meanwhile, Lucas himself predicted 15-20 million. In reality, the move made $775.8 Million – absolutely smashing both of their expectations, even Spielberg’s generous one. Adjusted for inflation, A New Hope made an astonishing $3.8 billion.
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A New Hope‘s success is all the more remarkable given how massive Star Wars has become years later. Lucas’ prediction is even lower than Spielberg’s, suggesting how little confidence he would have in his own movie. Lucas’ doubts would prove to be unfounded, given Star Wars‘ immense and sudden popularity.
The original Star Wars movie is a fantastic example of a dream made reality through sheer hard work and a little bit of luck. Nobody saw something like Star Wars coming, because it was such an original idea, especially when compared with other sci-fi and fantasy movies being released at the time. This interview proves that even the people close to its production didn’t see it amounting to much, which is so shocking when looking back 11 films and many TV seasons later. Star Wars‘ humble beginnings will always be fascinating when compared to its present size.
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