George Lucas made his long-awaited debut at San Diego Comic-Con, giving fans a sneak peek at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is scheduled to open in 2026. Before the legendary filmmaker took the stage in the famous Hall H, he was introduced by none other than Queen Latifah.
Lucas was rightly met with a rousing applause when he hit the stage.
Once the excitement settled, George Lucas dove deep into the vision behind his upcoming museum, a topic Variety covered in detail.
The centerpiece of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be Lucas’ own meticulously assembled art collection, featuring works from icons like Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo, and Jessie Willcox Smith, along with many pieces never before seen by the public.
Joining Lucas on stage were Guillermo del Toro and Doug Chiang, long-time collaborators and fellow advocates for narrative art. Their discussion highlighted the museum’s mission to shine a spotlight on illustration, concept art, and narrative painting.
“I’ve been doing this for 50 years now, and then it occurred to me that I don’t know what I am going to do with [all the art] because I refuse to sell it,” Lucas shared with the crowd. “Art is more about an emotional connection. Not how much it cost, or what celebrity made it. If you have an emotional connection, then it’s art.”
He added, “I’ve worked with hundreds of illustrators in my life, and they’re all brilliant, but they don’t get recognized for anything. This museum is a temple to the people.”
Initially announced in 2016, the museum was originally slated for Chicago near Lake Michigan, but a lawsuit from the group Friends of the Parks forced the project to scrap that location.
Lucas and his team ultimately selected Exposition Park in Los Angeles, where construction began in 2018. The futuristic architecture of the building embodies Lucas’ forward-thinking spirit and includes a special focus on celebrating science fiction.
“It’s one thing that this kind of art [featured] will celebrate because of science fiction. Science fiction is a myth, but we have made it real,” Lucas explained. “Humans made it real because of science fiction books and art that makes people say, ‘Oh, we could go to the moon,’ and once that idea is implemented, then we believe we could do it.”
