Spielberg still reaping profits from Star Wars bet with Lucas From our ANI Correspondent







Lucas was so sure that his first Star Wars film would flop when it hit theatres in 1977, that he bet his pal a percentage of the take on Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', that released the same year.



Lucas was convinced Spielberg's movie would be 'the biggest hit of all time', and bet that if Star Wars did better at the box office, he would give the latter two and a half percent of his 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, 'Oh my God, your movie is going to be so much more successful than Star Wars. This is gonna be the biggest hit of all time,'" Contactmusic quoted Spielberg, as saying.



"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.' And I think I came out on top of that bet," the director added.



And though Close Encounters was an extremely successful movie, and raked in millions of dollars, it was nothing compared to the success of Star Wars.



"Close Encounters made so much money and rescued Columbia from bankruptcy. It was the most money I ever made, but it was a meagre success story. Star Wars was a phenomenon and I was the happy beneficiary of a couple of points from that movie which I am still seeing money on today," Spielberg added.





Copyright Dailyindia.com/ANI Washington, June 26: Steven Spielberg is still reaping profits from the Star Wars movies three decades after the first one hit the big screen, thanks to a little bet he made with director George Lucas.Lucas was so sure that his first Star Wars film would flop when it hit theatres in 1977, that he bet his pal a percentage of the take on Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', that released the same year.Lucas was convinced Spielberg's movie would be 'the biggest hit of all time', and bet that if Star Wars did better at the box office, he would give the latter two and a half percent of his 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, 'Oh my God, your movie is going to be so much more successful than Star Wars. This is gonna be the biggest hit of all time,'" Contactmusic quoted Spielberg, as saying."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.' And I think I came out on top of that bet," the director added.And though Close Encounters was an extremely successful movie, and raked in millions of dollars, it was nothing compared to the success of Star Wars."Close Encounters made so much money and rescued Columbia from bankruptcy. It was the most money I ever made, but it was a meagre success story. Star Wars was a phenomenon and I was the happy beneficiary of a couple of points from that movie which I am still seeing money on today," Spielberg added.Copyright Dailyindia.com/ANI



