
George Lucas makes Comic-Con debut for Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Along with Lucas, the panel included director Guillermo del Toro and Doug Chiang, vice president of Disney's Lucasfilm, with Queen Latifah moderating at the San Diego Convention Center.
Attendees shouted "Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!" and clapped their hands in anticipation of the Star Wars creator's arrival, and gave the 81-year-old Lucas a standing ovation as he took his seat.
"Opening in 2026, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a first-of-its-kind institution dedicated to illustrated storytelling across time, cultures, and media," a press release from the museum said.
The 11-acre campus, in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, will include a green space and a 300,000-square-foot building with galleries, two theatres, a library, restaurant, cafe, and retail and community spaces.
Some of its collection will include art from comic book artist Jack Kirby, painter Norman Rockwell and illustrator Kadir Nelson, as well as a Lucas archive with models, props, concept art and costumes.
"I love all art, no matter what it is," Lucas said after showing a video that gave a sneak peek at the museum. The video included renderings of the museum interior and exterior, as well as the museum's broad range of art ranging from more traditional fine art and comic book strips to Star Wars sculptures and installations.
Lucas began the panel recalling his days as a college student struggling to pursue his dream of becoming an art collector due to the steep cost of fine art.
But the filmmaker found an affordable exception with comic books, sold cheaply in "underground" markets.
Now, rather than selling art he collected over around 50 years, Lucas said he prefers to create what he calls a "temple to the people's art".
Lucas kept the conversation focused on the museum and did not discuss Star Wars or Indiana Jones.
For del Toro, the museum offers a visual past that belongs to everyone and can't be erased, noting that he may move some of his personal art collection to the Lucas Museum.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Star Wars creator George Lucas brings the force to Comic-Con in historic first visit
Find out what's new on ST website and app. US film-maker George Lucas arrives for the sneak peek of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art panel at Comic-Con in San Diego, California, on July 27. SAN DIEGO – Comic-Con fans pulled out their lightsabers on July 27 to welcome Star Wars (1977 to present) creator George Lucas to the prominent pop culture convention for the very first time. Attendees lined up for hours to grab a seat inside the 6,500-person capacity venue, San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, California, to see the legendary American director behind the Indiana Jones (1981 to 2023) franchise speak at the event on its final day. Comic-Con, which draws some 130,000 attendees, has become an important platform for movie studios and their stars to showcase the latest film and television offerings, especially those with a genre fan base. 'We've been waiting five decades for this,' said panel moderator and American actress-rapper Queen Latifah, who oversaw the discussion by Lucas and other film-makers. Instead of discussing his film works, however, he graced the convention to preview his latest project, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art – opening in Los Angeles in 2026 – which he co-founded with his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson. An aerial view shows construction continuing at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California, on June 2. PHOTO: AFP A first-of-its-kind institution dedicated to illustrated storytelling across time, cultures and media, the almost 4.5ha campus in Exposition Park will include a green space and a 300,000 sq ft building with galleries, two theatres, a library, restaurant, cafe, and retail and community spaces. 'I've been collecting art since I was in college,' Lucas, 81, told the crowd, adding that he has amassed tens of thousands of pieces in his collection. 'I've been doing this for 50 years now, and then it occurred to me that what am I going to do with it all because I refuse to sell it.' 'I could never do that, it's not what I think art is – I think it's more about an emotional connection,' he said. In his description of the museum, Lucas said the institution will feature a blend of works. They include illustrations by Normal Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith and N.C. Wyeth; artworks by Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White and Robert Colescott; and pieces by cartoonists and artists like Winsor McCay, Frank Frazetta and Jack Kirby. 'This is sort of a temple to the people's art,' he said in summation. The museum, housed in a sleek, curved building, will also feature items from Lucas's films and other exclusive pieces. For the Star Wars mastermind, the space aims to be a tribute to the importance of narrative art. 'When you're born, the baseline is fear. And as you go through life, you're curious about things, but you're especially curious about things you don't understand, and therefore that's a threat to you. 'And as a result, you make up stories to make it feel good,' he continued. 'Science fiction is a myth... but we've made it real because of science-fiction books and art.' Among the other members of the panel were Oscar-winning Mexican director Guillermo del Toro and American production designer Doug Chiang, who shaped the aesthetic of the Star Wars universe for decades. 'What's remarkable about George is that he leads from the heart, and this museum is him,' Chiang said. Del Toro, who will release his latest film Frankenstein in November, said many of the museum's pieces will celebrate freedom of speech. US film-maker George Lucas (left) speaks as Mexican film-maker Guillermo del Toro looks on during the sneak peek of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art panel at Comic-Con in San Diego, California, on July 27. PHOTO: AFP 'We are in a critical moment in which one of the things they like to disappear is the past, and this is memorialising a popular, vociferous, expressive and eloquent moment in our visual past that belongs to all of us,' Del Toro said. He also described comics as a medium with 'a lot of social conscience' and joked that comic artists 'were the first one to punch a Nazi' in their works. 'What a panel,' gushed attendee Jesse Goldwater, who travelled to San Diego from Los Angeles. 'They are the embodiment of Comic-Con itself – without them, Comic-Con wouldn't exist.' AFP/REUTERS

Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
The Labubu effect: Cute sidekicks rule multiplexes, from Lilo & Stitch to Fantastic Four
(Clockwise from left) Stitch in Lilo & Stitch, H.E.R.B.I.E. in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Toothless in How To Train Your Dragon. NEW YORK – This summer has been invaded by a group of adorable furry monsters with sharp teeth. They are known as Labubus, and they are everywhere. The trendy key-ring dolls, from Chinese purveyor Pop Mart, have received endorsements from Barbadian pop star Rihanna and American singer Cher, and are omnipresent on social media. In a way, they have also infused the movies. Not literally, of course, though I wouldn't put it past some executive to be developing a Labubu franchise right now. No, it is more that the spirit of Labubus is everywhere on-screen. The blockbuster business has been overtaken by cuteness – sometimes ugly, chaotic cuteness in the style of the Labubu craze, but cuteness nonetheless. Nearly every major movie released since May features a cute sidekick, there to make audiences coo with delight. The season opened with Disney's live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, featuring the charmingly manic blue alien Stitch. It became a box-office success in part because of fans' enduring love for the extraterrestrial with a penchant for causing a ruckus. You could say Stitch is the original Labubu. They do look an awful lot alike. Small, fuzzy and baring sharp teeth, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's Labubu monster dolls have taken over the world, drawing excited crowds at international stores and adorning the handbags of celebrities. PHOTO: AFP In June, another remake was buoyed by a CGI cutie: Toothless, the title star of How To Train Your Dragon, whose oversized eyes and pointy chompers have a Labubu-esque quality. Also like Stitch, Toothless looks wild but, at times, acts as a pet, be that a cat or a dog depending on the moment in the story. Toothless in How To Train Your Dragon. PHOTO: UIP Speaking of dogs, Superman now has one in James Gunn's adaptation of the Man of Steel. Krypto, based on the American writer-director's own pup Ozu, is arguably the most traditionally cute of the bunch. After all, he looks like a regular scruffy dog, just one in a cape, but he is also a menace who bites feet and thinks any flying gadget is a toy. Krypto the superdog in Superman is inspired and modelled after director James Gunn's dog Ozu. PHOTO: WBEI The summer's other big superhero flick also has a winsome little buddy: H.E.R.B.I.E., the robot for the title crew in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He is made of metal, but has been designed for maximum awws, with a sweetly chirping voice and spinning reels for peepers. H.E.R.B.I.E. in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. PHOTO: THE WALT DISNEY CO There is more. In Pixar's Elio, a human boy befriends a slug-like alien named Glordon, who is sweetly naive despite descending from a race of warlords intent on conquering the galaxy. And Jurassic World Rebirth introduced Dolores, an Aquilops who, unlike the T. rex, enjoys candy and human companionship. What is with this inundation? Of course, cuteness is a solid marketing tactic. One reason Stitch, who debuted in the 2002 animated version, has become such a beloved character in the Disney stable is the volume of merchandise featuring him. The same could be said for Toothless, who even has a Labubu crossover toy. For what it is worth, Pop Mart is also in the Stitch business. Stitch in Lilo & Stitch. PHOTO: THE WALT DISNEY CO Meanwhile, the Labubu fad has started to merge with movie marketing. Celebrities are now being asked to interact with the toys during their press tours. The stars of both the sports racing drama F1: The Movie and horror reboot I Know What You Did Last Summer – two films in which adorable characters would be extremely out of place – have been subjected to this. F1: The Movie cast member Javier Bardem holding up a Labubu and gleefully declaring 'I got Baba' made me smile, even if the interaction felt like a forced viral moment. Sure, all this cuteness is in many ways a crass ploy for moviegoers' dollars, but it works for a reason. There is a comfort in the twee, especially when it is a little bit askew or offbeat. These characters allow people to switch off their brains and simply exist in their charming, oddball worlds . When every piece of news that hits the phone is largely depressing, it is a relief to spend a couple of hours gallivanting with Toothless or playing hypothetical fetch with Krypto. Their brand of chaos is the fun kind, not the nightmarish type. Of course, not every summer movie creature can work this kind of magic. The Jurassic World Rebirth social media team tried to turn Dolores into a phenomenon, with early X posts like one captioned: 'Protect Dolores at all costs!' The comments included questions about who Dolores was, and the mini-dino did not get any more popular after the film's release, possibly because she did not have a very distinctive personality. But when the characters are successful, they allow even adult viewers to regress into a childlike state of wonder, which partly explains why most of these movies have taken in huge amounts of money. The notion that these things have traits that society has deemed unlovable – Glordon's buggy form, for instance – makes them all the more lovable. It also may be why Labubus have become the accessory du jour. Their faces look as if they are about to create havoc, but their bodies are snuggable. They are like your personal Stitch: There by your side to make you giggle with the spicy-sweet personality you project onto them. Isn't that the fantasy all these movies sell? It sure would be fun to have your own little impish companion around at all times. NYTIMES


CNA
18 hours ago
- CNA
George Lucas makes Comic-Con debut for Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Excited fans waved glowing Star Wars lightsabers on Sunday (Jul 27) at the San Diego Comic-Con panel for George Lucas' latest project, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Along with Lucas, the panel included director Guillermo del Toro and Doug Chiang, vice president of Disney's Lucasfilm, with Queen Latifah moderating at the San Diego Convention Center. Attendees shouted "Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!" and clapped their hands in anticipation of the Star Wars creator's arrival, and gave the 81-year-old Lucas a standing ovation as he took his seat. "Opening in 2026, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a first-of-its-kind institution dedicated to illustrated storytelling across time, cultures, and media," a press release from the museum said. The 11-acre campus, in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, will include a green space and a 300,000-square-foot building with galleries, two theatres, a library, restaurant, cafe, and retail and community spaces. Some of its collection will include art from comic book artist Jack Kirby, painter Norman Rockwell and illustrator Kadir Nelson, as well as a Lucas archive with models, props, concept art and costumes. "I love all art, no matter what it is," Lucas said after showing a video that gave a sneak peek at the museum. The video included renderings of the museum interior and exterior, as well as the museum's broad range of art ranging from more traditional fine art and comic book strips to Star Wars sculptures and installations. Lucas began the panel recalling his days as a college student struggling to pursue his dream of becoming an art collector due to the steep cost of fine art. But the filmmaker found an affordable exception with comic books, sold cheaply in "underground" markets. Now, rather than selling art he collected over around 50 years, Lucas said he prefers to create what he calls a "temple to the people's art". Lucas kept the conversation focused on the museum and did not discuss Star Wars or Indiana Jones. For del Toro, the museum offers a visual past that belongs to everyone and can't be erased, noting that he may move some of his personal art collection to the Lucas Museum.