# Ep.497 George Lucas Chose Rights Over Cash. That’s Why Star Wars Made Him a Fortune.

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/good-morning-money-6980643/ep-497-george-lucas-chose-rights-over-cash-that-s-why-star-wars-made-him-a-fortune.md
Podcast: [Good Morning, Money!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/good-morning-money-6980643)
Published: 2026-06-29T13:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2406281/episodes/19389524-ep-497-george-lucas-chose-rights-over-cash-that-s-why-star-wars-made-him-a-fortune.mp3
Audio file: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2406281/episodes/19389524-ep-497-george-lucas-chose-rights-over-cash-that-s-why-star-wars-made-him-a-fortune.mp3
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Duration seconds: 120

## Resource

Most people chase the check they can see and give away the asset that could make them rich later. George Lucas did the opposite. When 20th Century Fox offered him a major upfront salary to direct Star Wars, he kept his fee lower in exchange for merchandising and sequel rights the studio did not fully value at the time. Those rights later helped turn Lucasfilm into a multi-billion-dollar empire. In today’s episode, we break down why fast cash can be less valuable than ownership, and why founde...

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## Transcript

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