Star Wars was created by George Lucas, an American filmmaker who conceived the original 1977 film, later titled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

. Lucas developed the story over several years, initially inspired by classic space adventure serials like Flash Gordon, which he wanted to remake but could not secure the rights for, leading him to create his own unique space fantasy universe

. He wrote and directed the original film and was heavily involved in the development of the subsequent prequel trilogy and the expansion of the franchise

. Lucas also founded Lucasfilm, the production company behind Star Wars, and established Industrial Light & Magic to create the groundbreaking visual effects needed for the films