On May 25, 1977, Star Wars, the first of what would be a major movie franchise, was released into theaters. The movie was a huge success, bringing in $100 million by the end of the summer. Star Wars was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won awards in six categories. Lucas would later follow the success of Star Wars with The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and an additional prequel trilogy. All movies in the Star Wars series were box office hits, yet none reciprocated the fame and fortune that the first Star Wars – A New Hope – saw. Industrial Light & Magic started their fame with the production of Star Wars; it was a movie unlike any other. ILM was entrusted with producing technology that could create some 360 effects shots. Star Wars was only the beginning of the success Lucas’s company would experience.
The History Of Lucasfilm 