"Star Wars" creator George Lucas made his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con in San Diego over the weekend, drawing thunderous applause from fans at one of the world's largest comic conventions.
On Sunday, the 81-year-old director, producer, screenwriter and art collector took part in a panel focused on the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is set to open in Los Angeles in 2026.
Lucas said he began collecting art during his college years, including comic books he could afford at the time, and has since amassed around 40,000 pieces, according to U.S. media reports.
He never wanted to sell his collection but now needed a place for it, Lucas was quoted as saying. He described the museum as a "temple to the people's art," stressing that for him, art is defined by emotional connection, not price or fame.
The museum's core collection is drawn from Lucas' private holdings and includes film-related artworks, comic illustrations and paintings by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell.
Located in L.A.'s Exposition Park, the five-story museum was designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong. Construction began in 2018 and Lucas is personally funding the project's more than $1 billion in building and operating costs.
