There have been many surprises on the Star Wars front as fans await the release of The Force Awakens, which hit theaters this December 17. What many don't know about the franchise, though, is that in 1977 George Lucas and Steve Spielberg put down a bet on the soon-to-be franchise's royalties. Now, since Star Wars is an ever-expanding instutition, Spielberg still reaps the benefits without lifting a finger.
As its been reported, while George Lucas was on the verge of depression, he decided to clear his mind and visit Spielberg in Mobile, Alabama where he was shooting the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Though Lucas intended to relieve his stress, upon seeing his Spielberg's work the pair decided to put a little wager on their respective movies.
Spielberg recounted in an interview for Turner Classic Movies, stating:
"George came back from Star Wars a nervous wreck. He didn't feel Star Wars came up to the vision he initially had. He felt he had just made this little kids' movie. He came to Mobile, Alabama where I was shooting Close Encounters on this humongous set and hung out with me for a couple of days...He said, 'You want to trade some points? I'll give you two and a half per cent of Star Wars if you give me two and a half per cent of Close Encounters.' I said, 'Sure, I'll gamble with that, great.'"
On the verge of his desperation, Lucas offered Spielberg a bet, wherein he would trade 2 and a half percent of Star Wars' earnings with 50% of Close Encounter's revenue. Spielberg says that he took the changes, which eventually earned him a huge percentage of the continually successful franchise.
Though Spielberg's film made a large sum, which saved Columbia from bankruptcy, Star Wars on the other hand created a phenomenon which is still a continuing success in pop culture.
Until you catch it in theater, catch the trailer for The Force Awakens below.
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