George Lucas (82) is returning to Hollywood - for his first major project in over a decade. The format is surprising: The "Star Wars" creator is neither on board for a new space epic nor for "Indiana Jones", but will lend his voice to a character in the upcoming animated film "Minions & Monsters" by Illumination next month.
How an Encounter Became a Role
Illumination founder Chris Meledandri explained in an interview with "Collider" how this unusual casting came about. About two years ago, he met Lucas - and learned how much the director appreciates the studio's films, especially the "Despicable Me" and "Minions" series. "It was such a thrill to learn that and share it with the team", Meledandri said.
When a suitable character emerged while developing the story, he spontaneously suggested recruiting Lucas for it. He pitched the idea to co-writers Pierre Coffin and Brian Lynch as well as co-producer Bill Ryan - with astonishing results: "They said, 'Are you kidding me?' I had no idea, but I got an extremely quick yes", the producer recalls.
Recorded in a Paris Studio
The dialogue was recorded in France, where Coffin met the director in a Paris recording studio. This won't be just a one-time guest appearance: Lucas has already expressed interest in another role. "He's already talking to me about the role he wants to take on next in the next 'Minions' film", Meledandri revealed.
Long Break After the Lucasfilm Sale
Lucas announced his retirement from the big Hollywood business in 2012, after selling Lucasfilm to Disney. "I'm retiring", he told the "New York Times" at the time. However, he hadn't completely disappeared since then: His last film project with direct involvement was the 2015 animated film "Strange Magic", for which he wrote the story and served as executive producer. That same year, he consulted Disney during the early development of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". He wasn't directly involved in 2023's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", but consulted director James Mangold.
